Siriusly In Love
by kdross42
Summary: The newly edited *gasp* version of our story from quizilla 4 years ago, now told in 1st person POV. An epic love story chronicling the life of Kara O'Connell, beginning with her 6th year at Hogwarts with the infamous marauders and her best friend Lily. *** SOME OF THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE LAST BOOK CAME OUT, SO DON'T EXPECT IT TO LINE UP PERFECTLY! ***
1. Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey guys! So, this story was originally written about 4 years ago by my friend Justine Rosen and I, but was posted on Quizilla since it was originally in second person POV (yuck!) but I was recently inspired to go through the ENTIRE thing and change it to 1st person, so now it will be posted here too! I'm going to try to do it quickly since it is all written, but even so I'm pretty busy. Anyways, I hope you like it, sorry if some of the writing sucks, we were puny little high school freshmen when we wrote it so don't judge too harshly! But messages/comments are always great! Thanks!

DISCLAIMER: We do not own any of the Harry Potter characters, they all belong to JK Rowling. We do, however, claim ownership of both Kara O'Connell and Natalie Martin. And Landon Bridges and Kerry Slots lol. But mostly just Kara and Nat.

"I'll see you when we get there", my brother Barry called over his shoulder as he went to join his friends. I waved and turned towards the Hogwarts Express. The large scarlet train was familiar to me by now, as I was entering my 6th year as a Gryffindor there. Barry, a Ravenclaw, was 17, and in his final year at the most prestigious school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. I boarded the train and headed to the back to find an empty compartment. As I settled in, I heard someone shout

"Hey, O'Connell, how was your summer?" I turned around and find myself facing my good friends, James Potter and Remus Lupin.

"Hey, James, Remie," I smiled as Remus winced at his nickname, which I had given him in our first year at Hogwarts. Before I get any further into our conversation, my best friend, Lily Evans, ran into the compartment and hugged me.

"Kara, how was your vacation? I missed you so much! How was Connecticut?" Meanwhile, James was ruffling his hair, trying to make it look like he'd just stepped off his broom. Remus and I held back snickers. James was forever trying to impress Lily. So far it wasn't working. She still despised him. Lily let go of me and James asked,

"How's it goin', Evans?"

"Well, Potter, it was 'goin' fine until you decided to stick your fat head into my business." I rolled my eyes at Remus and he moved over to talk to me.  
"So, Kara," he asked above Lily and James' shouts, "How was your summer?"  
"Great!" I responded enthusiastically, "We just got back from home last week." I was from Connecticut, but moved to England with my mom and brothers when I was 10. My dad still lived in the states. My parents were happily married, but careers forced them to live on different continents. At first I was upset about moving to England, but it didn't bother me now. I had friends, and Hogwarts was great.  
A sudden clicking of fifty high heeled shoes and the squealing of a posse of Barbie dolls, also known as the fan club, turned the attentions of the four of us to the only person accompanied by those sounds almost 24 hours a day- James' best friend and accomplice, Sirius Black.

"Excuse me ladies," Sirius said apologetically as he shut the door to the compartment in their faces. "Hey, Prongs. Still working that good old fashioned Potter charm on Evans, I see. Any more successful this year?" Lily and James' glares answered his question. "Guess not," he chuckled. I sighed. Sirius Black was not my favorite person in the world, to say the least. From the way he treated me, I assumed the feeling was mutual.  
"O'Connell," he said coolly.

"Black," I spat back at him. He turned to Remus, and I looked him over. As much as I disliked him most of the time, he wasn't bad looking. With his shaggy black hair and steel gray eyes, not to mention his broad, muscular chest, he wasn't exactly unfortunate looking. Far from it, in fact. I snapped myself out of my trance at a commotion in the compartment. It didn't matter what he looked like, I told myself. He was still Sirius Black.

I looked over to see what the disturbance was, and saw James arguing with a greasy haired, hook nosed boy. Severus Snape. As I started to join the group, I heard James yell, and Snape went flying out of the compartment, knocked out cold. James and Sirius grinned, satisfied. There was someone who wasn't so thrilled, however.

"Potter! You've been on the train for 10 minutes, you arrogant, self centered, conceited, depraved..." the list of insulting adjectives went on and on, as Lily shouted herself hoarse at James. Sirius and Remus didn't bother to hide their amusement, although I did cover my smile... for a few seconds.

The rest of the train ride was uneventful; Sirius and I shared heated conversation about the House Quidditch teams this year. Sirius and I, along with James, were on the team. He was a Beater, and James and I were both Chasers. Lily yelled at James some more, and Remus read a book, surprise, surprise. A few hours later, we had arrived at Hogwarts.


	2. Bloodhounds and Barbies

I entered the Great Hall among the wave of Hogwarts-uniformed students, all flushed from excitement of starting a new school year. The Great Hall was a large, gorgeous room, with enchanted candles floating in the air, and the four long House tables. My favorite part was the sky, bewitched to look like the outside. Tonight the ceiling depicted a clear, starry night, open straight to the heavens.

I took a seat towards the end of the Gryffindor House table, with Lily on my left, James across from me, Remus across from Lily, and, to my dismay, Sirius on my right. Peter Pettigrew, the last of the four infamous Marauders, and a friend of mine, sat down next to James.

"Hey Wormtail!" James greeted Peter, "Where were you on the Hogwarts Express today?" Peter looked down at the empty golden plate in front of him, and said nervously,

"Nowhere".

"That's Wormtail talk for spying on the girls' changing rooms," Sirius said knowingly. Remus and James snickered, and so did I. Lily, however, looked disgusted.

"Oh, Peter, you didn't, did you??" she said disapprovingly as Professor McGonagall quieted the students down, and led the first years to the front of the Hall.

When the Sorting was over, I returned to my earlier discussion with Sirius about Quidditch, this time with James involved. Lily and Remus were discussing a book about werewolves. Peter listened to our conversation with his mouth half open, drinking in every word. As James and Sirius began talking about which team had the hottest girls, my attentions moved to the conversation of three newly sorted Gryffindors.

"Do you see him??" one girl moaned longingly.

"Mmm hmmm," the second one replied. "Delicious."

"Look at his eyes! So gorgeous!" the third girl put in.

"I wonder what his name is?"

"I wonder if he's a good kisser," the second girl fantasized. The other two giggled. I laughed inside my head. Three more girls to add to the fan club. That second one would make a nice Barbie in a couple of years... I did have to agree with her though, his eyes were quite nice, I wondered if he was a good kisser... Why were you thinking this? Bad Kara, bad. Yes bad would be nice... STOP! This is Sirius Black! Conceited, womanizer...

"Kara? Kara??? Are you okay??" Sirius was looking at me with an almost concerned look.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"I've been asking you to pass the butter for five minutes."

"Oh..." I grabbed the butter and gave it to him, hoping I were not blushing too much.

"Are you sure you're alright? You look a little red." Sirius was still looking at me. I blushed deeper.

"I'm fine." I said shortly. Why did he care anyway??

~*Sirius' POV*~

I looked over at Kara. She was staring into space, looking a little disoriented. I waved myhand in front her face.

"Hello?" Oh well. Nobody home. I continued to stare at her. She was quite pretty really. With her long blonde hair that curled slightly at the bottom, and her eyes, which were light brown and flecked with gold, giving me something to stare at while she wasn't looking... not that I was looking... much. Right?? Stop Sirius! It's Kara, I told yourself. So what if she was pretty, and smart, and nice, and funny, and can pull pranks as well as-or ALMOST as well as me and James, and was a spectacular Chaser. Why should I like a girl like that?? Because she's a challenge, I thought acrimoniously. God forbid a girl didn't throw herself at me. I liked that she wasn't a Barbie, as Kara called my fan club. I reached for a roll and realized I'd need the butter, which was on Kara's other side.

~*Kara's POV*~

Dinner was over. I headed to the common room with Lily, the Marauders not far behind, already discussing how to get Filch mad within the first 24 hours of the term.

"I'm tired," Lily said.

"Me too," James, Remus, and Peter said simultaneously. They all started for their dorms. Sirius and I stayed where we were, on the same couch. Why wasn't he going with James? However, I were interrupted by those first years from the Great Hall.

"Excuse me?" the leader, a brunette with a lot of makeup on (definite Barbie material, I thought), said.

"What's his name?" She pointed to Sirius. Sirius looked up, shook his head, and returned to his book. Wait, book? I snapped my head back around. I looked at the cover. How to Prank a Prankster, Volume VI. Of course. Sirius looked up again and grinned at the enlightened look on my face, and nodded his head at me before returning to his sophisticated reading.

"Sirius Black," I answered the Barbie.

"Are you like dating him?" This got Sirius' attention. It was his turn to snap his head in my direction. I was already laughing.

"Me? Dating Black?" I collapsed on the ground. The first years look disgusted.

"Why's that funny?" she asked. "He's too good for you?" I stopped laughing abruptly.

"Excuse me? Excuse me? What? Not good enough- for him? Excuse me? Oh... that was cold... him too good- for ME? What?" Sirius observed, not completely un-amused. "Listen, you overdone, airheaded, pompous, bigheaded..." I was fuming. "You're worse than him!" With that, I stormed off to my dorm.

"I guess that's a no, then," one of the other Barbies whispered to the Leader. They all shrugged and sat down next to Sirius.

~*Sirius' POV*~

Oh. No. Kara just left, and they were coming towards me. And closer. Closer. Closer still.

"Hey, Sirius. I'm Roxanne." The Leader said in an attempted sexy voice. It sounded like my Uncle Alphard to me.

"Hey." I said, scooching closer to the end of the couch. She followed. Oh, well. Nice try, I consoled myself. "Sorry, ladies, but it's getting late." I yelled over my shoulder as I ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. _I'd like to see them follow me here,_ I thought smugly. Then I heard footsteps behind me. Crap_._ I ran into James' bed, hoping to throw them off track. Predators, these girls.

"Lily", James murmured, eyes closed.

'Sorry to disappoint, Prongs" I replied dryly.

"Padfoot?" James nearly screamed.

"SHHHH!" I put my hand over his mouth. "They're coming. **They're coming**!" James looked confused. The door to our room opened, and Roxanne and her Barbie posse walked in. James sat up, and seeing the girls, understood.

"Do you mind, ladies," he said. "I'm kind of busy." He pointed at the lump in his bed that was me.

"Sorry," the girls said quickly, and left the dorm without another word.

"Thanks Prongs" I said, truly grateful.

"No problem, Padfoot, but never get in my bed again. Ever."

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up the next morning and read the clock on my nightstand. It read 6:30. I was always an early riser. I took a shower, and when I went back into my dorm, the other girls were awake. Once Lily was ready, we headed down to the Great Hall in our matching Gryffindor uniforms: white blouse, red and yellow tie, gray skirt, and red knee socks. I wore sneakers and Lily wore clogs. The Marauders were already there. I slid into a seat next to Sirius, with Lily on my other side. Once Lily and Remus picked up where they left off in their werewolf book conversation, Sirius turned to me.

"Kara?" he asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"Did you mean that last night?"

"Mean what?"

"You know, when you said those girls-"

"The Barbies?" I interrupted.

"No- not Barbies. Monsters. Bloodhounds."

"Okay... what about them?"

"When you said they were worse than me." I paused, trying to remember exactly what I'd told those girls- bloodhounds.

"No, I guess not." Sirius looked relieved.

"You're still worse." I joked. Sirius laughed with me. "I've heard you called many things, Sirius Black, but never a bloodhound. And never a Barbie." Sirius let a look of mock hurt take over his face.

"Are you saying I'm not pretty enough to be a Barbie?" I couldn't stand it. I burst into hysterics. I laughed so hard tears were running down my cheeks. When I could control myself, I replied,

"Well, maybe we could fix you up. With a bit of makeup and some hair spray you wouldn't look half bad." It was his turn to laugh hysterically. Neither of us realized this was the longest civil conversation we'd ever had. The others did though.

"Ooh, what's going on with Sirius and Kara?" Lily asked out loud.

"They're just catching up to us babe." James replied.

"Potter, you little..." Remus and Peter shook their heads. Not even eight thirty and they were at it already. Just another typical morning at Hogwarts.


	3. Quoting Sirius

While Sirius and I were laughing about finding a spell to enlarge his chest so he could be an honorary Barbie for the day, hundreds of owls swooped into the Great Hall. The class schedules had arrived. I opened mine and looked at it.

Monday  
9:00-11:00- Ancient Runes (Hufflepuff)  
1:00-3:00- Transfiguration  
Tuesday  
9:00-12:00- Double Defense Against the Dark Arts  
1:00-3:00- Herbology (Ravenclaw)  
Wednesday  
9:00-11:00- Care of Magical Creatures (Slytherin)  
1:00-4:00- Double Charms  
Thursday  
9:00-12:00- Double Arithmancy  
11:00-1:00 AM- Astronomy in the North Tower  
Friday  
9:00-12:00- Double Potions (Slytherin)

I sighed. Crappy Friday. Oh well, you can't get everything in life. Sirius was looking over my shoulder at my schedule.

"Well look at that!" he yelled triumphantly. "Looks like it's just you and me for Ancient Runes and Astronomy."

"Great," I replied sarcastically.

"Aww, come on, you know we're going to have fun together."

"Whatever you say, Serena." (This was the Barbie name I had made up for him.)

"That's right, Kara, it is whatever I say. And I say we're going to have fun." I was saved from continuing the conversation by James, who had come over to compare schedules.

"Me and Lily are in Muggle Studies all by ourselves." He said proudly. Lily rolled her eyes behind his back. James pushed me over, so that I was sitting next to Lily, and him next to Sirius.

"So, what's up with you and Sirius," Lily whispered conspiratorially.

"Why would anything be going on between me and Sirius?" I asked.

"You were talking for a whole ten minutes without saying anything mean."

"How do you know I wasn't saying anything mean?" Lily gave me a disbelieving look.

"Okay, fine. I wasn't saying anything mean. What's that got to do with anything anyway?"

"If it's got nothing to do with anything, why are you getting so worked up. Huh?"

"I'm not getting worked up!" I responded indignantly.

"Maybe I like talking to Sirius. Maybe he's not as bad as I thought."

"Oooohhhh. We're still just friends with Mr. Black, aren't we Ms. O'Connell?" Lily teased in a matriarchal tone.

"With no plans of anything further, thank you very much Ms. Evans." I shot back.

"Whatever you say, Kara. Whatever you say."

"That's right, it is whatever I say. And I say there are no plans of anything further." Oh my god, I thought to myself. I just quoted Sirius Black. I just QUOTED SIRIUS BLACK! What is wrong with me!?

"Time to go to class." Lily interrupted my meditative state.

"Can't wait," I replied sarcastically. Sirius came up behind me.

"I know you love me." He whispered quietly in my ear. Girls were now shooting me dirty looks. He was quite close to me. I liked it. Wait, no I didn't. Did I? Maybe, maybe not. Oh, so Lily's right again, what's new? I sighed, and went off to Ancient Runes with Sirius.


	4. I've Never

Sirius and I parted from the others, on their way to divination and Muggle studies, and headed for the Ancient Runes classroom. Once there, we sat next to each other, not that a few girls didn't try to get me to switch places with them. I considered letting them sit next to him for a moment, but then, some part of me was saying that I didn't want them to. Just as a Hufflepuff 6th year, Fiona Garrison, was offering to do my homework for a month to sit next to Sirius, Professor Wallis, the Ancient Runes teacher, walked in. He was a tall, gangly wizard, and his sandy brown hair had gray streaks in it. He was generally a happy man, and one of my favorite professors.

"Good Morning, class." As he started to go over the course goals for the year, I felt Sirius poke my arm and slide a piece of parchment over tomy side of the desk. I laughed quietly. Less than a minute into the class and already he's bored.

*Hey, Kara. I'm bored.* (Sirius will be in **, I'll be in ~~).

~So you expect me to fail this class with you, because you wanted to write notes when you were bored? ~

*Well, you're writing back. You can't be too enraptured by Professor Wallis.*

~Shut up. ~

*I didn't say anything. Wrote it, yes. But said, no. My lips moved not an inch, not a centimeter. Not a MILLIMETER!*

~I hate you. ~

*Sure you do. I see you passing notes with Snivelly in Potions all the time.*

~ Yeah and he's wittier than you are, Serena. ~

*I love it when you get worked up. Its sexy.*

~Shut up. I mean...just...stop! ~

*You think I'm sexy too, don't you?*

"No!" I said out loud. Professor Wallis, however, looked pleased.

"Thank you, Miss O'Connell, at least someone's paying attention. A hand raise would be appreciated next time, however." I gave Sirius a triumphant grin.

~Thanks for getting me on Wallis' good side~

*Oh, believe me, it was unintentional.*

~You're just jealous. ~

*Of what? Your brains? Your looks? Your Quidditch skills? Your original pranks? You intellect? I think not!* as he passed the paper to me, Sirius realized he'd actually written that. Crap. He thought. I stared at him, puzzled. Then I raised my eyebrows and looked away.

Two Mondays later, James came up to me at lunch.

"Hey Captain, when are we starting tryouts?"

"I'm putting up a sign on the common room bulletin board tonight" I responded. I had received the Quidditch Captain badge along with my Hogwarts supplies list and my OWL scores. I couldn't wait to be in charge of the team. "The tryouts will be Friday night, and the first practice will be Saturday morning." I continued to James.

"Ok!" James said quickly, and walked away. He had just noticed Lily enter the Great Hall.

"Morning Evans!" he said cheerily.

"Move, Potter."

"May I escort you to your seat this fine day?"

"Why? Do I look too stupid to find a seat myself?"

"No... I was just offering-"

"Well DON'T OFFER!" Lily pushed past James, who was now getting many stares from all over the Great Hall, and sat next to me.

"Hey Kara!"

"Morning Evans" I said in a James-like voice.

"Oh shut up. The last thing I need is to have two of James Potter. That slimy, egotistical"

"No offense Lily, but I need you complaining about James as much as you need two of him."

"Sorry, Kara."

"That's okay."

"I feel like we haven't talked in forever."

"I know, it's been, what, ten seconds?" I laugh at my own joke. Lily didn't.

'I mean it Kara. How about a sleepover Friday night. You me, and Natalie."

"Ok, I'll be there after Quidditch tryouts," I promised. Natalie Martin, another 6th year Gryffindor, was a good friend of ours. With classes, homework, and Quidditch captain duties, I'd barely had time to talk to her these first few weeks of school.

"Hey Lil, Natalie!" I greeted cheerfully as I entered the dorm that night.

"Hey, Kara!" they said back tome.

"So, how did Quidditch go?" Natalie asked.

"Great! Some good prospective. We had a Chaser and a beater spot open, and there are some promising candidates."

"Who would want to be a Beater with Sirius?" Natalie asked.

"He'll probably knock the Bludger at them if he's bored."

"I'd kill him if he did."

"Guys, this is a GIRLS night. No more Quidditch!"

"Yes, mom," Natalie and I both said remorsefully to Lily.

"I have to go downstairs and grab my books off the table, ok? I'll be right back." I told the girls as I sprinted out the door. When Lily had something planned, I didn't interfere. It was best if I wasn't gone long. A pair of arms grabbed me from behind as I picked up my books, and sat me down on the couch closest to the fire.

"Sirius," I whined, "let me go."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, my dear Kara," James put in, "we don't want you girls to have each other all to yourselves."

"What?"

"Yeah. Prongs is right. We're jealous."

"Why don't you hang out with those girls?" I ask playfully, pointing to the first year Barbies.

"Them? They're-monsters!" James shouted in mock terror.

"Shut up James. They're scary." Sirius defended himself.

"Sure, Padfoot." Just then, Remus came through the portrait hole.

"Remie, make them let me go!" I complained. Remus looked at me in disbelief.

"So you can go upstairs and be all-girly with Lily and Natalie and leave the three best looking guys in the school down here alone?" I gasped.

"Remus Lupin. You were in on this? I'm surprised at you!" He smiled. Just then, I heard Lily scream,

"Kara! Where the hell are you? You said your books were in the common room, not America!"

"Uh-oh. You guys are in trouble now." The boys actually look a little scared. Lily came storming down the stairs. Before she could say anything, however, James got up and put his hand over Lily's mouth. If possible, she was even angrier now.

"Don't fret, Evans. We've taken Kara hostage. We're not letting you steal away in your dorm and gossip all night. You've got to hang out with us!" Like I had, Lily turned her eyes to Remus. He smiled and shrugged. Lily gave him her famous evil glare, and he shivered and looked down. James tentatively removed his hand from Lily's lips.

"Okay, I guess we could hang out with you guys tonight," she agreed, surprising everyone, including me. "NATALIE!!!" she yelled up the stairs.

"What?" came the muffled reply.

"We're going to hang out with the guys tonight."

"Oh... okay!" Natalie came bounding down the stairs, and then noticed Remus sitting in his armchair. Her eyes lingered on him. He was so cute, with his gorgeous brown hair, and those warm, friendly blue eyes. She smiled ruefully. She'd never have him. I noticed Natalie looking at Remus and rolled my eyes. They'd liked each other since fourth year, and everyone had noticed it but them.

"Let's play a game!" I announced.

"How about spin the bottle?" James asked hopefully.

"How about not?" Lily shot back. Not wanting them to fight, I said,

"No. What about I've Never?" Before anyone could respond, the Leader Barbie pushed over to me.

"We'll play!" She announced! I looked at Sirius, who was now cowering in a corner of the couch. I sat next to him, purely to save him from those girls, who were a little strange. It's not like I wanted to be close to him. I was just doing him a favor.

"We'll get the drinks!" James announced, and dragged Remus out of the common room.

~*Sirius POV*~

Oh. No. They were advancing. Kara's attempt at throwing them off track had failed. Not that I didn't admire her efforts. And bravery. Plus, I liked being this close to her. Her hair smelled nice, I noticed. Suddenly Kara moved even closer. Oh. My. God. This feels good. Very good. I put my arm around her. Even better. The Leader and her cohorts were now giving Kara looks as scary as Lily's death glare. Oh well, I thought. The monsters are deterred. For tonight. The girls went and situated themselves on another couch.

"You owe me, Black." Kara whispered in my ear. I liked her lips being so close to my face.

"I'd do this for you anytime," I whispered back seductively. Kara, thinking you're kidding, giggled. Well I was kind of kidding. Kind of. Just then, James and Remus came back with armfuls of Orange Soda. They looked over at me and Kara, looked at each other, and then looked back at us. They were confused. I laughed. When she saw their faces, so did Kara. I REALLY liked this.

~* Lily's POV*~

_Oh. My. God. Is Kara CUDDLING with Sirius? She is! Oh my God. She is! He's putting his arm around her. She's LETTING him put his arm around her. Did he drug her? Well, they HAVE been getting friendlier these last couple of weeks. Why didn't she tell me? Did she think she couldn't tell me? Did Sirius tell James and Remus?_ I guessed not, as James and Remus had just entered the common room and were giving each other confused looks. James looked cute when he was confused. _No he didn't!_ Yes, he did. But that didn't mean you had to stop loathing him with every fiber of your very being. _Except those fibers that thought he was cute._ Oh, shut up Lily!

~*Back to your POV*~

Once everyone was finished giving you puzzled looks, I said,

"Okay. I've never kissed anyone of the same sex as me." No one drank. I was disappointed. That would have been an interesting explanation. The game went on for a half an hour, with the questions getting more bizarre, until the Barbie Leader, Roxanne, said,

"I've never had sex." No one drank. I waved my hand in front of Sirius' face.

"Are you paying attention, Black?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"YOU"VE never had sex?"

"Nope. Virgin and proud."

"Oh. Ok." I smiled.

"Wait," Roxanne said, looking confused. "If you've never had sex," she said, pointing at James," Then what were you doing that night we came looking for Sirius?"

"Um..." James was stumped. He couldn't say he was hiding Sirius in his bed because those girls scared him half to death, but he couldn't say 'nothing' either. No one would be satisfied with that.

"Oh, well the mood was ruined when you lovely ladies interrupted, so..." he trailed off. Stealing a glance at Lily, he saw she looked mad. Mad? Did that mean she cared what he did?

"I'm going to bed," Lily stated quietly. I noticed she looked hurt. She walked up the stairs and into your dorm.

"Me, too," I agreed. Pointing to Sirius and James, I said, "Up. Now. I won't have a tired Chaser and Beater at our first Quidditch practice in the morning."

"You play Quidditch?" the Barbies squealed.

"Yeah," Sirius said shortly. "Good night, love," he said loudly to me. Softer, so only I could hear, he whispered,

"Thanks." I smiled, and whispered back,

"Anytime." With a wink, I turned away to follow Lily to bed.


	5. Hey Captain!

Saturday dawned bright and early. I got up, showered and dressed, and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Lily joined you a few minutes later.

"Hey Lil," I greeted her.

"Why didn't you tell me about you and Sirius?"

"Me and Sirius?"

"Yes, you and Sirius. Why didn't you tell me you were going out with him?"

"I'm not. I was just doing him a favor last night, so those girls wouldn't eat him alive." The Barbies hadn't succeeded yet, but not for lack of trying.

"How about you, Miss Lily? You looked a little angry when you found out about what James almost did."

"I was just tired. Why should I care what Potter does?"

"Lily," I began seriously, "Its ok if you like James. I'm your friend. I won't tease you. Much." Lily looked relieved.

"I don't like him, Kara, but I guess I don't hate him either."

"Awwww..." Lily elbowed me as James and Sirius entered the Great Hall. They were accompanied by the fan club. I hated the sound of high heels in the morning. James slid in next to me and watched Sirius be consumed by the crowd of promiscuous schoolgirls.

"I almost feel sorry for Padfoot," he said.

"Eat up, James; I can't have my star chaser devoid of energy at the first practice, can I?" James noded, then looked back at Sirius.

"He looks like he needs help" he said, but didn't move.

"Jeez, James, Sirius is lucky to have such good friends." With that, I got up and parted the crowd. It was harder to do than the Red Sea.

"Excuse me, ladies. Sirius is expected at Quidditch practice fed and without lipstick marks. So you'll have to excuse him while he prepares." The girls nodded, but looked disappointed. Sirius looked at me like I was a God. Or a supermodel.

"Come on, Sirius." I said, and led him to the table. He piled food onto his plate, not noticing all of the girls who'd been turned away gazing longingly at him.

"Let's go, boys." I said ten minutes later as I got up from the table. "We can't be late!" James and Sirius followed me out of the Great Hall and into the sunshine as we headed towards the Quidditch field. The rest of the team was already assembled, including Miles Booth, the first year who would be the third chaser, and Alexandra Kemp, a third year, the new Beater. Our keeper, Anthony Wood, was a fifth year, and the seeker, Jaime Hallowell, was a pretty fourth year. I had seen her on the outskirts of a Sirius mob from time to time.

"Okay, everyone, mount your brooms." I weren't one for fancy pep talks. The team did as I said, and we began drills. The practice was uneventful, until- WHAM! A bludger hit Sirius square in the back of the head. He fell backwards off his broom. Luckily, James swooped underneath and caught him before he hit the ground. I was horrified. I landed along with the rest of the group and ran to Sirius' side.

"Is he okay? Oh my God he fell from so high!"

"I think he'll be alright. We should probably get him to the hospital wing." Just then, Sirius opened his eyes.

"Hey, Captain," he said lightly.

"Hey Captain? HEY CAPTAIN?? What the hell were you doing up there, Black? You're a BEATER! You hit other people with the Bludgers; you don't get hit with them! Instead of flirting with Jaime, you should have been paying attention! You could have been killed! You're lucky James caught you! I-"

"Kara, he should get to the Hospital Wing," James interrupted my rant. "I'll take him," he offered.

"No. Go. All of you." I pointed to the castle. Slightly confused and scared, my team did as I said. I turned back to Sirius, who was still lying on the ground. "Are you okay, Sirius?" I asked seriously.

"Uhhh... there's two of you, Captain. But other than that I'm good."

"That's not funny, I'm serious!"

"No, I'm Sirius. You're Kara." I considered kicking him, hard. But since he was already hurt I decided against it.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing, then," I replied. I helped him up and began the slow trudge back to the school. Halfway there, Sirius took his arm off of my shoulder.

"I'm okay to walk now," he explained.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." We walked in silence until, at the doors of the castle, we saw the fan club.

"Oh my god, Sirius, baby, I heard you were hurt!"

"Are you alright?"

"Oh you look awful!"

"Do you need help getting to the hospital wing?" Sirius turned to me.

"Can I have your help once more?" he asked. I pretended to consider.

"Well... okay. But only because you already look like shit."

"Thanks, Kara."

"Hey, what are friends for if not to tell you the truth?" He put his arm around my waist and I leaned into him. He smelled so good. The girls instantly went their separate ways, looking forlorn. Sirius, however, didn't let go of me right away.

"Sirius," I said quietly. "They're gone."  
"Oh, right." He dropped his hold on my waist. I continued on, not realizing that Sirius was no longer with me. I rounded a corner and ran into none other than Severus Snape.


	6. 15 Points from Gryffindor

"Getting a little close to the blood traitor, aren't we, O'Connell?" Snape leered at me.

"Move, Severus." I tried to push past him.

"Why should I? Afraid to be away from your boyfriend for too long?" I turned around and realized that Sirius was no longer behind me.

"He's not my boyfriend, Severus. But why would you care if he was??"

"I just don't want to see you get your little heart broken when your boy toy leaves you for the next leggie thing with high heels and a condom."

"Like you care what happens to me. Now if you'll excuse me, I have things to do. Not that I don't love standing in a hallway listening to you lie about Sirius, but I'll have to take a rain check." I attempted to get around Snape once more, but he didn't move.

"You leave me no choice," I sighed and took out my wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted, and Snape fell over, unable to move. I admired my work. It was one of my better Body Bind curses. As I was about to walk away, I heard a horrified,

"Miss O'Connell!" I looked over my shoulder to see Professor McGonagall.

"Did you do this to Mr. Snape?" I considered this. What was the point of lying?

"Yes. Yes I did."

"I'm surprised at you, Miss O'Connell. 15 points from Gryffindor and detention tonight. You will be owled a notice later on today." She dismissed me and I went back to the common room. Detention tonight. Oh well. It was so worth it. I grinned, quite satisfied with myself. But where was Sirius?

~*Sirius' POV*~

Kara kept walking, but a hand on my chest stopped me.

"Black," Kara's brother, Barry, growled.

"Did you need something, Barry?"

"I need you to stay away from my sister. You can have any girl in this school, Black. And you've had a good many of them, too. We both know it. Take one of them. But I don't want to see you with Kara again!"

"Why do you have a problem with me being friends with your sister? I'm not dating her."

"Then what the hell was that just now, huh Black?"

"She was helping me fight off that crowd of psychos that you suggested I take advantage of."

"Stay away from my sister. If you don't I'll make it so you'll never have children." With that, Barry tried to punch me. I were too quick for him. I grabbed his hand and pushed it away. I didn't want to fight Kara's brother. She was just starting to warm up to me. But he tried again. Punched me in the arm as my back was turned. I figured that meant he'd provoked me enough. I turned around and punched him in the face. He punched me back in the chest, but I barely felt it. I went for the face again. This went on for awhile; the guy didn't give up. Finally, he kicked my shin (that did hurt), so I punched him once more, square in the jaw. Barry fell down. He didn't get up. He still didn't get up. Uh-oh. I'd just knocked out Kara's brother.

~*Back to your POV*~

I were worried about Sirius, but thoughts of him were driven from my mind when Natalie and Lily came into the common room from the library. The three of us sat and talked in front of the fire until late afternoon, when there was a noise at the window. I looked over to see an owl.

"Must be my detention slip," I said as I ran to let the owl in. Natalie had laughed when I told them what had happened; Lily looked disapproving. Of course, I wouldn't say WHY I'd hexed Snape. Maybe because a part of me feared it was true. Sirius and I had been getting along so well, I were really starting to like him. What if he ditched me for a new girlfriend? I shook my head. It didn't matter. I was just friends. I looked down at the parchment, which I'd untied from the owl's leg.

_Miss O'Connell, Your detention will take place at 8:00 PM in the trophy room. Minerva McGonagall._

I pocketed the note and returned to the couch. I talked with Lily and Natalie until dinner. The three of us grabbed a quick bite, and we returned to the common room so I could get ready for my detention. At eight o'clock sharp, I arrived in the trophy room. Filch was standing there, and behind him was Sirius.

"Your punishment tonight is to polish every single piece of metal in this case," Filch began, pointing to an unbelievably large case of trophies, metals, and engraved shields. _Oh great_, I thought, _this will take forever_. "And no magic," Filch added unnecessarily. _Obviously_, I rolled my eyes. So did Sirius- Sirius! I remembered what had happened in the hall earlier. Why had he left like that? And then he hadn't turned up for the rest of the day.  
Once Filch had locked us in the room, along with rags and cleaning solution, I rounded on Sirius.

"And where the hell were you today, Black?" I hissed.

"I'm sorry, mum, I did I miss my chores?" He replied sarcastically.

"You were in the hall with me, and then you weren't!"

"Sorry, I got-held up"

"Held up? Like I did with Snape?"

"Is that why you're here? You did something to Snape?" Sirius questioned, curious, as I started polishing.

"Yes, I did."

"What did you do, call him a name?"

"No. I hexed him."

"What!?!" Sirius screamed. He looked impressed. "Why?" I couldn't tell Sirius that I'd hexed Snape because he said out loud what I feared might come true- Sirius ditching me for, what was it, the next leggie thing with high heels and a condom? Yeah that was it.

"It doesn't matter," I said quietly, still contemplating that very possibility. "Wait, why are you here?" I asked abruptly after a few moments of silent polishing. Well, Sirius wasn't about to tell me that he'd knocked my brother unconscious for suggesting that he stay away from me. So he settled on a quiet,

"It doesn't matter." Even though this response didn't satisfy me, I hadn't given him any more to work with. Fair. But annoying. I continued polishing, and after two hours, we had about half of the trophies finished. I went to polish a large gold shield, and Sirius went for it, too. His hand brushed up against mine, and I blushed. I couldn't help it. It felt so good to be close to him, to be touching him. Sirius was looking at me. I stared back. He was so gorgeous. I pulled my hand away after a few seconds, and broke eye contact, blushing slightly. When he looked at me like that, I felt like he could see straight into my thoughts. I started working on a bronze medal with a faded inscription on it.

~*Sirius' POV*~

I began to polish a large gold shield. So did Kara. Her hand collided with mine. I didn't move away. Neither did she. I looked into her eyes. They were a light brown. She was happy. Happy because of me? I hoped so. She made me happy. She gazed back at me, as if studying my deepest secrets, revealed on my face. She moved her hand and looked away. Was she blushing? I couldn't be sure. Her face looked so beautiful in the half lit room. She started to polish a medal, so I continued on the shield. Somehow detention was never this enjoyable with James.

~*Back to your POV*~

The rest of the detention was completed in silence, both Sirius and I deep in our thoughts. At midnight, Filch came back, just as we were finishing the last trophy. He inspected the awards, hoping to find a particle of dust, a streak on one of the perfect gold finishes, but he couldn't, and grudgingly told me and Sirius we could go. We walked back to the common room slowly, still silent. When we reached the common room, I whispered,

"Good night, Sirius."

"Good night, Kara. I'll see you tomorrow." I gave him a small smile and headed to my dorm. I fell into bed and as asleep instantly. All night, I dreamed of Sirius, and his hand brushing mine. His arm around me as he fought off the Barbies. Him whispering in my ear on the way to Ancient Runes. I woke up in the morning, and realized something I hadn't wanted to admit to myself. I was in love with Sirius Black.


	7. Rise and Shine!

The next morning I was still in shock about what had happened in detention. I hadn't seen Sirius, because I'd woken up early. Hungry, I'd gone down to breakfast on my own. I'd encountered Barbies twice. Once, the first year, Roxanne, and her giggly, preteen friends. Next, it was a 5th year Hufflepuff, who stopped me to ask if Sirius had mentioned her. I had started to dislike the Barbies even more, and I didn't know why. Was it jealousy? It wasn't much, but it was still a constant, nagging reminder of last night. A month ago, I'd have been in hysterics if someone told me I'd be jealous of Sirius's fan club. Now, it didn't seem so out there. Oh well. I'd get over it. But did I want to?  
I walked into the Gryffindor common room, preoccupied with these thoughts, and saw a crowd of people around the bulletin board. Lily ran towards me.

"Kara, this is great! I have to figure out what I'm going to wear! How will I do my hair?? See you later!" Confused, I decided to go see what she was talking about. Pushing away a second year girl, I saw a notice:

Attention All Students 4th Year and Up  
Halloween Dance Friday, October 31 8:00-Midnight  
This is a formal dance.

Oh. That explained a lot. I started to get a little excited. I loved dances. A part of me, however, was getting excited because there was the possibility that someone would ask me. Someone whose name started with an S maybe. Alright, I wanted Sirius to ask me. A lot. I decided that I needed some fresh air, and started to walk outside. On the way there, I saw my brother. He was a mess. Both of his eyes were blackened, his lip was split, and there was a bruise coming on his chin. I gasped and raced over to him.

"Oh my God, Barry! What happened?" I questioned, concerned.

"Why don't you ask your boyfriend?" my brother spat at me. He tried to walk away, but I stopped him.

"What boyfriend?" I was confused, again.

"The god of the school, Mr. Prankster, Mr. I-think-I'm-so-cool-because-all-the-girls-love-me!"

" Huh?" I was a little slower than usual today. After all, I had been in detention half the night.

"Sirius Black!" Barry shouted, loud enough to get stares from those around us, mostly from girls, who looked disappointed when the 'god' of the school was nowhere to be seen. Barry stormed away. I stood where he'd left me, looking, and feeling extremely puzzled. Then it hit me. Sirius must've been in detention last night for hitting Barry. More than once, from the looks of it.

"I'll kill him," I said under my breath, and with that, I started back to Gryffindor Tower. I arrived, in record time, slightly out of breath.

"Hippogriff" I said quickly to the Fat Lady, eager to get my hands on Sirius. Oh, I was going to KILL HIM! He probably beat Barry up because he was bored. Looking for amusement, because he was BORED with me! I was fuming. Not seeing the Marauder whose neck I'd like to clench my hands around, I stormed up to the boys dormitories.

Entering the 6th year dorm, I saw the 4 pranksters all asleep in their four poster beds. Not for long.

"Sirius Black!" I bellowed, causing Remus to jump up, and Peter to shove his head under his pillow, muttering about SOME people needing sleep. There was no reaction from the two raven haired Marauders. I exhaled deeply and went over to Sirius bed. I prodded his head with my wand, until he mumbled,

"Stop it Prongs. I don't wanna talk bout Lily right now," and turned over.

"Neither do I," I responded hotly. Remus was now wide awake, and watching the scene with amusement.

"Mmmk," Sirius replied, and wiggled down deeper into his covers. I had an idea. "Rise and shine!" I said, falsely cheery, and yanked the blankets off the bed. Sirius curled up in a ball, in nothing but a pair of striped boxers. This gave me a nice view of his toned abs and arm muscles. No! I thought. I'm here to murder him for hurting my brother. Oh, right! My slower half exclaimed. Let's get him! Remus was laughing now. Sirius, eyes still closed, was feeling around for his blankets with one hand. I saw a half empty glass of water sitting on the nightstand next to his bed, and picked it up. Remus gasped.

I poured the remaining contents of the glass onto Sirius face, and couldn't help but laugh as he screamed and sat straight up in his bed, looking around for whoever had disrupted his slumber. His eyes fell on me, empty cup in hand, and opened his mouth to ask what the hell that was for, but he didn't get the chance.

"Sirius Black! What the HELL did you do to my brother?!? His face looks like it was attacked by your fan club! Is that why you hit him? What, was he interested in one of your precious sex-machine Barbies?? Didn't want to share your freaking prostitutes, Sirius?" I stopped for a breath. James had woken up, and looked confused. So did Remus, Peter, and Sirius. He was probably pretending to be confused, I thought, so he didn't have to explain himself.

"Maybe we should leave," suggested Remus. He, James, and Peter left, still in their boxers, much to the delight of the girls in the common room, who were squealing delightedly. I inhaled, gaining enough air in my lungs to start up again, but Sirius DID look confused. He was so cute when he was confused. I sighed.

"So, what was the fight about?" I asked, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Ummm" Sirius looked away. He didn't want to explain. I didn't care.

"Sirius, I'm giving you five seconds to start telling more, or I'll tell your fan club that you're gay." Sirius looked at me, his eyes questioning. "Yes, I would do that." I answered his silent question.

"Okay," he sighed, and began his story. "When you were walking me to the Hospital Wing yesterday, your brother saw us with our arms around each other. You turned a corner, and he stopped me. He told me that if I didn't stay away from you, he'd…well it doesn't matter. He tried to punch me, I pushed his hand away, and he did it again, so I hit him back. Then it…escalated." Tale over, Sirius looked down at his knees.

So Barry had started it. That actually wasn't too surprising. He was always a little overprotective. I studied Sirius face. I noticed his black eye, and a bruise on his arm, for the first time. So he was willing to fight for me. But he hit my brother. Could I forgive him? "I'm so sorry, Kara. Even if he provoked me, I shouldn't have hit him." He looked so remorseful. He was still in his boxers, and he was so hot. And yet, he hit Barry, and hexed Snape for no reason.

"Kara, he took a deep breath. "Will you go to the Halloween Ball with me? If you forgive me, that is." I looked at him. Now there was something different in his eyes. Hope? I opened my mouth to answer

"Yes," I told Sirius. "I'll go to the Ball with you." He looked like he could fly. Was he that happy I'd agreed to go with him? No. Maybe. I smiled back at him. "I'll let you get dressed," I told him, and walked out of the dorm and into the common room.

~*Sirius' POV*~

She said yes. I were so happy you could fly. I hadn't been sure she'd agree even before the Barry incident, but she had. I got dressed quickly, and went down to the common room. James, Remus, and Peter were waiting.

"So, Padfoot, what did she say?" James asked. I'd gotten back from detention with stars in my eyes, and the Marauders milked every detail out of me.

"She said yes!" I pumped your fist in the air. The Marauders laughed, but congratulated me.

"So, when are you taking her out, Padfoot?" Remus asked after I'd calmed down.

"I'm taking her to the Halloween Ball!" I told him proudly. The faces of Remus and James fell.

"What is it, guys?' I asked, worried.

"Well," Remus said reluctantly. "Halloween is a full moon." Crap.


	8. A Broken Date

Lily and I went down to lunch, still giggling and talking about the dance. The marauders, and Sirius, were nowhere to be seen in the Great Hall. I was happy Sirius had asked me to the dance, and even happier that no one knew yet. I could eat my lunch with Lily in peace, with no jealous fan girls sending me glares or death threats. Lily talked about dresses, hair, and jewelry. I was only half listening, thinking about the night of Halloween. I imagined the Great Hall, decorated, with the House Tables absent in favor of smaller ones, me, in a floor length dress, and Sirius-

"Kara?" I was shocked out of my daydream.

"What?" Lily was waving a hand in front of my face.

"Do you want to come to Hogsmeade with me next weekend to pick out dresses for the Ball?"

"Yeah sure," I agreed. Finished with lunch, Lily and I left the Great Hall, on our way to sit by the lake.

"Hey, guys!" Natalie called, sprinting down the hallway to catch up to us.

"Hey Nat!" I waved at her as Lily and I halted to wait for our friend.

"Thanks for waiting. Haven't seen you guys in forever!" Natalie greeted breathlessly. It was true. Nat was the President of the Charms club, and the first few weeks of her school year had been spent recruiting new members and having meetings. The three of us walked in silence, until we reached our favorite spot by the lake. We settled ourselves down under the large Weeping Willow, almost hidden from view by its sagging branches. The three of us had been coming here since our first year.

"So, what's the deal with the dance?" Natalie asked. "Any dates yet ladies?"

"Kara has a date," Lily said in a singsong voice, nudging me in the ribs.

"Who is it, Kar?" Natalie asked excitedly.

"Sirius," I replied quietly. Natalie laughed.

"Funny!" she gasped in the middle of her hysterics. "Like you'd ever go out with Sirius Black!" She said disbelievingly when the laughter subsided. She looked from me to Lily, and saw the serious looks on your faces. "You're going to the Ball with Black?!?" She shouted.

"Yes," I replied firmly.

"Kara that's great!" Natalie leapt up from the branch she was perched on and gave me a hug.

"He's like, the hottest guy in school! And he's liked you forever."

"Has not." I insisted. "He would have said something before."

"Why so he could get turned down?" Natalie had a point. Before a few weeks ago I never would have agreed to go ANYWHERE with Sirius Black.

"Let's change the subject," I suggested.

"Who are you going with Nat?"

"No one, yet. There is someone I'd like to go with though..." she trailed off.

"Who?" Lily inquired.

"It doesn't matter," Natalie mumbled.

"Oh, come on, Nat. Kara's going with SIRIUS! Whoever you want to go with, it can't be that shocking." Lily was good at getting people to tell her things.

"Well, I do kind of like Remus," Natalie admitted quietly.

"No way!" Lily squealed. "I'll bet he likes you, too! Why don't you ask him to the dance?"

"I can't ask him, he has to ask me."

"Don't be so old fashioned, Nat. Ask him!" As Lily and Natalie argued, I thought about what Natalie had said. Was it that strange for me to go out with Sirius? I was pondering this, and Natalie and Lily debated over whether Nat should ask out Remus, when the Marauders themselves joined us in the shade of the willow tree. Lily and Natalie immediately shut up.

"Hey ladies!" James said in salutation.

"Hey Potter!" I greeted back. Sirius was looking glum, I noticed. "Hey, Sirius," I said quieter, as I moved to sit next to him. He didn't say anything, just stared at the ground. The other three guys were looking at him, concerned. "Sirius?"

~*Sirius' POV*~

"Halloween is a full moon." Crap. I couldn't believe it. My face, and my spirits, fell. Kara had finally agreed to go out with me and I'd have to be wrestling Moony into the Shrieking Shack.

"Padfoot," Prongs addressed me tentatively.

"Yeah, what is it Prongs?"

"We can manage on Halloween. Me, Peter, and Remus."

"Yeah, we know how much you want to go to the dance with Kara. Back out and she'll probably never give you another chance." Peter added. Remus nodded in agreement.

"It'll be a lot harder with just Prongs," I pointed out.

"Yeah," James conceded, "but I can manage."

"I don't know, guys..."

"Think about it Sirius." Remus said with a note of finality in his voice. I nodded. What was I going to do? As confident as James sounded, it was hard enough for the both of us to control the werewolf Remus. If he did it alone, he, or someone else, could get hurt. But it was Kara. Pretty, smart, funny, unattainable Kara. And I'd attained her; she agreed to go out with me. Peter was right. If I blew this, I'd never get another chance. The dance wasn't for another three weeks. Plenty of time to think. But how could I choose between where I wanted to be and where I needed to be? I didn't know. It was going to be rough on someone either way, Kara or James. It was going to be rough on me either way. I sighed, knowing what me had to do. Kara might be able to forgive me. By the time I was old. Very old. But if someone got bitten by Remus because I weren't there...

I had made my decision. But that didn't mean I had to tell Kara right away. Right?  
"I'll help you guys on Halloween," I announced. Remus nodded, and James just looked at me.

"Well then, you better go tell Kara," Peter stated.

"I don't have to do that right away, do I?"

"Yeah, you do, Padfoot. The longer you leave her thinking she's going with you, the happier she'll be," James said, as I walked towards the portrait hole.

"Unless she takes a good look at you. Then she'll be running the other way!" I pushed James into the wall.

"Ow!" he yelled, rubbing his shoulder. The four of us went down to the Great Hall, hoping I'd see Kara there. No luck. After a few minutes, we saw someone's feet sticking out from under the willow tree the girls had claimed as their own.

"You're going to the Ball with Black? Kara that's great!" I heard from under its branches. I winced. Great. How could I tell her I was sorry, and I wanted to go out with her so badly, without revealing Remus' secret? We reached the tree.

"Hey ladies!" Prongs called.

"Hey Potter!" Kara said back. She looked so happy. And I was going to have to change that. Kara was sitting beside me now, on the cold ground. I looked up at her. "Can we talk?" I whispered.

"Yeah," she got up, following you out of the shade of the tree and into the bright October sun. I walked along the lake in silence for a few minutes. "What is it, Sirius?" Kara asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. I loved how curious she was, so eager to hear what was going on, how I was feeling. This was probably the last time she'd be curious about what I thought.

"Kara," I began. This was hard. "I can't go to the dance with you."

"Oh." That was all she said. Oh. She looked at me, waiting for me to explain, to say anything more, but I didn't. I couldn't. After a minute, she just walked away. Not back to the willow tree, like I'd expected, but back to the castle. That was the hardest thing I'd ever had to do.

~*Kara's POV*~

He broke our date. Just like that. Less than a day after he asked me, it was off. Done. That was it. When he'd told me, I thought he'd at least give an explanation, or an excuse. Nothing. He just, said it. He looked sad, too. I didn't understand why. He broke it off with me. I guess he was exactly like I thought he was, I thought ruefully. Always looking out for one and only, Mr. Sirius Black himself. Probably got an offer from some 7th year girl. I bet she was pretty. And leggie. I reached the Fat Lady's Portrait.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" she asked when I told her the password.

"Yeah, why?"

"You're crying."

"Oh..." I walked into Gryffindor Tower, wiping your eyes. I WAS crying. The one thing I didn't want to do, ever. I was crying over Sirius Black.


	9. Richard

~*Lily's POV*~

Me, Natalie and the three Marauders sat under the willow tree for awhile, talking about classes, Quidditch, and Hogsmeade. I tried to bring up the dance, but the boys were reluctant to talk about it, as was Natalie. Neither Sirius nor Kara came back from their talk. I suspected they were off kissing somewhere. I was happy for Kara. She really liked Sirius. She hadn't stopped smiling since he had asked her to the dance.

"We're going to find Sirius," James announced suddenly, and the Marauders left the quiet secrecy of the willows branches.

"Isn't Sirius with Kara?" Natalie asked me, puzzled.

"I thought so," I replied.

"The guys must be jealous that he's with her instead of planning their latest prank." Nat nodded in agreement.

"Well, I've got to go. Charms Club starts in 20 minutes." She hopped up and headed for the castle.

I lay down on the ground, enjoying the silence. I couldn't believe I'd spent over an hour in James Potter's company without him doing or saying something that made me want to hex him or feed him to the Giant Squid. He'd been nice to talk to. I sighed, and got up. Too bad he's not always like that, I thought as I brushed dirt off of the backs of my legs. I might consider going out with him if he was... I was halfway to the common room when I heard someone say my name.

"Lily!" I turned to see Richard, a 6th year Ravenclaw, behind me.

"Hi, Richard," I said.

"Hey, Lily. I was wondering if you had a date for the Halloween Ball." I looked at him. He was short, not much taller than me, and his blond hair was neatly combed. So unlike James' messy black mop. Richard was just an acquaintance. He was too quiet to spend too much time with before I felt awkward.

"No, Richard, I don't have a date," I told him truthfully.

"Oh. Would you like to go with me, then?" I considered. It's not like there was anyone else I wanted to go with. 'Except James'. 'Shut up.' Another conversation between Lily and Lily, I thought.

"Sure, I'll go with you." He smiled, nodded, and walked away. Not even a 'great', or a 'thanks, I'll see you in class'.

I could only imagine what James would do if I accepted one of his myriad of offers. He'd probably jump up and down and yell through the halls that he'd FINALLY gotten me to say yes. I wondered why he hadn't asked me to the dance, or Hogsmeade, when he normally asked me out to every possible function within the first five minutes we knew about it. And again within the first 20. And again an hour later. 'Oh well. It's not like you would have said yes anyway.' That was enough of logical Lily for today. The other part of me said that if James had asked first, the maybe, just maybe, I would have agreed. All thoughts of James were pushed out of my mind, however, when I reached the common room.

Kara was there, in her favorite armchair by the window, with tears falling silently down her face.

"Kara!" I exclaimed, making my way over to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just made a mistake."

"What? What kind of mistake? What happened?" I hugged her. She looked so beaten down. She waited, and then whispered one word,

"Sirius." She didn't have to say anything else. I knew he'd dumped her. I wanted to punch him. How could he do this to Kara? It took her so long to trust someone. He'd finally earned that, and he broke it.

"It's ok, Kar." I soothed. "He doesn't deserve you or your tears." Ooh! That was good. And true, too.

"I was so sure he did," she said, more to herself than to you. "I was so sure he did." It broke my heart to see her this way. She was usually so happy. She always told you she didn't see the point in letting the little stuff get to her. I were the one that always needed cheering up. She DID the cheering. She really must have liked him. Again, I felt an overwhelming urge to hit Sirius.

"Let's go up to our room, k?" I didn't want the guys to see her like this. All four Marauders disgusted me. I had just been talking to them, and none of them said anything. THAT was why they didn't want to talk about the Ball. Obviously they knew. I led Kara up the stairs. She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thanks, Lil. I'm okay now." She did look better, but I knew that Sirius wouldn't be safe within 100 feet of her for a long time. I heard the portrait open to let someone in, the Marauders, I expected, just as I closed the door to our dorm.

~*Kara's POV*~

Lily ushered me up the steps and into the dorm. I told her you were okay, and it was mostly true. I felt a lot better. So what if Sirius dumped me? At least he'd done it before I'd given too much of my time and trust to him. I went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. My eyes were puffy and my nose was red. A mess, and all because of a guy! Screw him! I told myrself. And I meant it. I was done with Sirius Black. For good. I splashed my face with the freezing tap water, cleansing myself of all ties to Sirius. I smiled at my reflection, and joined Lily on her bed.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Lil. I'm just gonna go for a walk." I got up and left. I saw Sirius and his friends in the common room, but didn't acknowledge them as I exited the Tower. Once outside the school, I saw that it was almost dark out. What a crappy day. Oh well, almost over! Looking around to make sure no one was around, I changed into my Animagus form, a large Huskie. My marking was a furry white heart shape on my chest, symbolizing a favorite necklace of mine. I began to run around the Hogwarts grounds.

Being a dog always calmed me, making my problems seem far away. Panting slightly, I slowed down to a fast walk. It was now completely dark. I entered the Quidditch stadium, and sat on the bottom row of the bleachers. Was it really only a couple days ago that Sirius had fallen off his broom during practice? I'd been so worried. I willed myself to stop thinking about Sirius. Instead, I turned my mind to my decision to become an Animagus (illegally, of course.)

It had been my brother, Mike's, idea. I had just finished my fourth year of school, and he his sixth. He convinced me it would be fun. The two of us worked night and day all summer to get it right. Finally, in the last week of August, we were ready. I'd chosen a Huskie, my favorite dog, while Mike had opted for a hawk. Since then, I'd enjoyed my animal form, and the fact that no one knew but Mike. It helped to have something to retreat into all alone.

It was late now. I changed back into human form, running to make curfew. The days passed, and it was time to go to Hogsmeade for dresses. Lily had told Richard she couldn't go with him, and Natalie had turned down her offers from almost every boy in Charms Club. The three of us were 'dates' for the night. We arrived in Hogsmeade laughing at a joke Nat had told. (Did you hear the one about the hag and the Muggle?) It was quite a good joke.

We went straight to Madam Rosalinda's Clothing Store for Young Ladies. Normally I wouldn't have set foot inside. Everything was so...not me, in all my Quidditch captain, tom boyishness. But I needed a dress so there was no way around it. Lily and Natalie pulled multiple garments off the racks, and pulled me towards the dressing rooms. I browsed slowly. Everything was so pink. I walked farther into the store, and the dresses became less pink and more like something I'd wear. I picked up a dark green dress with spaghetti straps and a rhinestone hem, as well as a gray/silver one, with criss crossed straps. I tried on the green one first, which came to just below my knees. It was alright, but nothing special.

The gray one was different. I put it on, and loved it instantly. It was long, just brushing the floor of the dressing room. I stepped out of the dressing room, and Nat and Lily expressed the same sentiments as me.

"Oh, Kar, it's great!"

"Yeah, let's go find shoes!" I couldn't help but laugh. They never stopped. Lily had picked out a strapless emerald dress, and Natalie was holding a red gown. When we finished purchasing our outfits, we stopped into The Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer.

We giggled and gossiped, until Sirius, James, and Remus stepped into the store about 5 minutes later. Sirius looked at me, but I just looked away. I still couldn't believe him. And, since what one did, they all did, I hadn't talked to Remus or James, who were my good friends since I had started Hogwarts, at all.

I stayed with Lily and Natalie until it was time to go back to the castle, stopping into Honeydukes quickly for some chocolate. Lessons passed as slowly as ever, and before I knew it, it was Halloween morning.

It was Friday, which meant Double Potions. Then I had the afternoon to get ready for the Ball, or rather read a book while Nat and Lily ran around like crazy people trying to perfect their looks. I normally started to prepare an hour before. It was enough time to look presentable. Potions was as enjoyable as usual. Professor Stonewell breathed down my neck as I concocted a Truth Potion. I handed in a vial of my potion at the end, confident I'd done well. On your way out of the dungeons, I bumped straight into Sirius.

"Kara," he began, but I muttered a hurried

"Sorry," and left him standing looking crestfallen. I arrived in Gryffindor Tower, ready for the games to begin.


	10. I'm Too Sexy

When I had about an hour until the dance, I got up from Lily's bed and began to get ready. My gray dress looked as gorgeous on me as it had that day in the store. I added some simple silver jewelry, and Lily and Natalie set to work on my hair. After twenty minutes of pulling and poking, they let me look in the mirror. My hair was curled and put in a simple up do with jeweled bobby pins. I smiled. It looked good, almost worth the pain I went through for it.

"Thanks, you guys," I hugged Lily and Nat.

"Group hug!" Natalie yelled, and I laughed. I knew I'd have fun tonight with my best friends. With that aside, I still wanted to be going with Sirius. As furious as I was with him for breaking off our plans, I could forgive him for it if he'd apologize. Not that I'd let him know that, or make saying sorry easy. That's why I'd been avoiding him. I was curious how far he would go to make things right.

"Okay, ready, ladies?" Lily said, straightening her dress and holding an arm out for me and the other for Nat. We took them simultaneously, and walked down into the common room.

We had to go early so Lily could take care of some last minute things with the Prefects. She volunteered us to help.

It was still light outside, and the Marauders were still sitting in their armchairs. When I came down, Sirius' jaw dropped. I looked away. Now he sees what he's missing. I wonder who he's bringing instead. So I was bitter. I was allowed to be bitter.

"So, why aren't you guys getting ready?" Lily asked.

"We're not going," James responded.

"Why not??"

"Just don't feel like it."

"Ok..." Lily believed James, but I didn't. He was lying. But why? I decided to drop it for now. I'd find out later.

I reached the Great Hall, where the House Tables had already been removed. Prefects and teachers were levitating smaller tables around so they rested on the edges of what was now the dance floor. The rest of the decorations were coming along nicely. There were black and orange streamers, and live bats had been set loose to fly around near the top of the ceiling, which was now showing the beginnings of a sunset.

It was 7 o'clock. Natalie and I had tried to make yourselves useful as Lily went around helping hang decorations and set up the food tables. After we had ripped the orange streamers near the dance floor, taped a Prefect to the refreshments table, and set fire to the stage (I bumped into Nat, who ran into the stage with her wand...), the Head Boy nicely asked us to "sit our asses down at a corner table and stay out of our way," we began a game of Truth or Dare.

"Nat, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"Are you mad that Remus didn't ask you to the dance?"

"No. I guess if none of them are going...Besides he wouldn't ask me anyway."

"Oh come on Nat. He does like you. He's just shy."

"Ok Kara. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"Do you forgive Sirius for blowing you off tonight?"

"No! Yes. No. I don't know." Nat laughed.

"What are you thinkin'?"

"Well, I was pissed. I still am. But he looked so SAD when he told me, and now none of the guys are going. And James was lying before. There's a reason why they won't be here. And Remus looked so guilty." Natalie stared down at the table.

"So you really like him, huh?"

"I don't know. I AM mad at him for not giving me a reason. I thought he was better than that."

"Well, maybe he is. Like you said, there's a reason why they're not here. Maybe you should talk to Sirius."

"I think I need some time away from him. But eventually I will," I promised. Just then, the doors to the Great Hall opened to admit the first people into the Halloween Ball.

Lily came up to me as the band, The Awesome Animagi, began their first song. The name was kind of corny, especially since they were all Animagi. But their music wasn't bad, and they were popular.

"Do you want to dance?" I asked Lily in a mock sexy voice.

"Of course," she batted her eyelashes and curtsied. I walked out onto the dance floor and began to tango to the rock song now playing. We were getting quite a lot of stares from people dancing as we cut through them. Once we made your way around the floor, spinning and dipping, we found Natalie laughing. I turned around to see people shooting you annoyed or confused looks.

"Don't worry, they're just jealous because I've got the two hottest dates in the school," Natalie told me.

"Awww...we're flattered." Lily said, and I sniffed and wiped away an invisible tear.

"I meant my boobs," Natalie joked. "Mason and Manny." Lily laughed.

"So you have man boobs?" I asked. The three of us broke out into a fit of laughter.

"That's more men than the rest of me, or you, has!" Nat said when the laughter subsided. I laughed, but that made me think of Sirius for the first time since the dance had started. I wondered what the guys were up to tonight. They seemed a little edgy. These thought were pushed out of me mind when the Amazing Animagi began a fast song, and Nat shouted,

"Time to get our groove on!" She led the way out onto the dance floor, walking like an Egyptian, while Lily and I followed, doing the swim and the lawn mower. The dancing got more sophisticated when we changed over to the monkey, the sprinkler, and then the Macarena, a Muggle dance that Lily had taught us. I ignored the strange looks we were getting and had fun with my friends.

When a slow song came on about twenty minutes later, I went over to the refreshments table, breathing a little heavy from all that dancing. I poured yourself some punch, while Lily danced with Nat, Mason and Manny. I laughed out loud at my joke, and sat down at an empty table. It wasn't empty for long though. Just as I finished my punch, someone slid into the seat next to me. Regulus Black, Sirius' brother. A fifth year Slytherin, Regulus looked a lot like Sirius, but somehow lacked the other's spark that made him so attractive to every girl in the school. His eyes, the same as Sirius' in color, were cold and steely in comparison to Sirius' soft, warm ones.

"Hey, O'Connell," he said.

"What do you want, Regulus?"

"Just figured that since my brother ditched you, you could at least have the company of one Black tonight."

"Not that that offer doesn't sound...tempting, but I have a date."

"Who, that Mudblood Evans and the freaky Charms girl?"

"Don't talk about my friends that way," I said icily.

"Oooooh. Cold. Maybe this will warm you up." Regulus put his arm around me. I shrugged it off and got up from the table.

"No, that just makes me need to take a shower." I told him, and walked back towards the dance floor. He followed me. I sighed and turned around.

"What?"

"Dance with me."

"Is that a command?"

"Yeah."

"Well it's a good thing I don't have to listen to you then." I spun around but he caught my arm.

"Come on," he led me onto the floor, but the song changed to a fast one at that moment.

"Awww, too bad, Reg." I walked away, this time too fast for him to pull me back to him. He disgusts me! How did he even KNOW about me and Sirius?? No one even knew we were going to go together. Slimy Slytherins. Always getting into things that they shouldn't. I found my dates at the punch.

"Having fun?" I came up behind them.

"AAAAHH!" Lily screamed and threw her punch into the air. It landed on a fourth year Ravenclaw. Lily had always scared too easily.

"I'm so sorry!" Lily apologized, whipping out her wand. With a flick of her wrist, the girl's dress was back to normal.

"Funny, Kara."

"Nat thought so." Natalie was hiding her grin behind her hand.

"Come on, let's dance!" I walked out to the middle of the dance floor for some more crazy dancing. We alternated between this and the punch table for a couple of hours, laughing and joking with each other. I didn't mention the Regulus incident. I was having fun and didn't want to spoil it anymore than he had already. Lily found a table near the doors of the Great Hall, and the three of you sat down, tired.

"I'm having so much fun!" Natalie exclaimed breathlessly.

"Yeah, this was a good idea. You guys are better dates than Richard would have been."

"I agree!" I added. "We've said more words in the last ten seconds than Richard would have said all night!" I laughed. He was exceptionally quiet. We talked about nothing for awhile, and pretty soon the lead singer of the band, Colin the Coyote, announced, with a howl, that this would be the last song for the night. Ben the Bear and Ted the Tiger (like I said, corny) started to play a slow song. Boys gathered their dates into their arms and began to sway to the music.

Me, Nat, and Lily did the same. It was like an extended group hug to music, as Natalie put it.

"Our new theme song!"

"Nah," I objected. "Too boring. We need a cool theme song."

"I second that!" Lily put in.

"Okay, how about," Natalie thought. "Beauty," she pointed to herself, "and the Beasts."

"Hey!" Lily said indignantly.

"A theme song for the three of us, not the three of you!" she gestured at Mason and Manny. We all laughed.

"Sorry. Ok what about... Lollipop?"

"Huh?"

"What's that got to do with us??"

"Well, I like lollipops..." Natalie defended her theme song choice feebly.

"I know!" I said! "What about 'I'm Too Sexy'?"

"I like it!"

"Me too!" We began to sing our newly elected theme.  
"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts! I'm too sexy for Milan, too sexy for Milan, New York and Japan!"

The people who hadn't shot us a glare earlier were doing it now. We didn't care. The dance ended, and me, Nat, and Lily sang 'I'm Too Sexy' all the way back to our dorm. As we fell into bed, exhausted, I was glad I'd gone with my friends.

~*Sirius' POV*~

My jaw dropped when Kara came down the stairs, and for some reason it felt as heavy as the chair you were sitting in. She looked so gorgeous in her gray dress, and her hair was all curly. She barely looked at me before turning away. I was vaguely of James and Lily exchanging some dialogue, but didn't hear any of it. When the girls left for the dance, I had to convince myself, again, that I had made the right choice. Just as I had to every time you saw Kara. I knew my friends needed me, but maybe Prongs was right when he said they could handle it without me. No. He wasn't. And I knew it. As the sun began to set, we left the Tower and the castle under the cover of the invisibility cloak. We were in for a rough night...


	11. Lying

~*Sirius's POV*~

We were crossing the grounds when the clouds shifted, revealing the full moon. Remus's back stiffened under the cloak, and he began his painful transformation into a werewolf. I threw the cloak off, and the three of us led Remus as close to the Whomping Willow as possible before he became too dangerous. Then we shifted into Animagus form, Prongs and I wrestling Remus while Wormtail prodded the knot of the tree. The branches stopped lashing out at us, and we attempted to lure Remus into the passageway.

He was more aggressive than usual, and he jumped on me, teeth sinking into my dog fur. Thank God werewolves are harmless to animals, I thought to myself as I growled and pushed him off me. He scratched my muzzle and I yelped in pain. Prongs picked Remus up with his antlers and threw him in the direction of the Whomping Willow. I ran over to him as he rose up and started for Prongs. He scratched Prongs hard, so that blood shone on his brown fur.

Now it was my turn to tackle Remus. I scratched him and dragged him closer to the passageway with my teeth. He fought back, scratching my stomach repeatedly. This went on for a long time, until we finally got Remus into the Shrieking Shack. When the sun rose above the horizon, replacing the moon, we changed back into your human forms.

Remus was gaunt, pale and scratched all over, as much from himself as from me. James could barely support his own weight. There were deep gashes on his arms and legs. Peter just looked tired. I had deep cuts on my face, and my stomach, which was sliced in four places, was a bloody mess. My arm had a bite mark, and the rest of my body was bruised and aching. We helped each other back to the castle and decide to head for the Gryffindor common room tower because it was closer than the hospital wing. Unable to make it up the stairs to our dorm, we all collapsed on various armchairs and couches. It was 5 a.m. A long night.

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up early as usual, still smiling from the dance last night. Nat and Lily slept peacefully. I looked at my alarm clock. 6:15. I sighed, sat up, and got out of bed. Grabbing my book, Les Miserables, by a Muggle named Victor Hugo; I went down to the common room.

I gasped when I saw the marauders slumped over their various pieces of furniture.

"Cheese and rice!" I exclaimed, running over to them. They were all scraped and bruised except for Peter. Remus looked half dead, and James was snoring on the coffee table. Sirius was draped over the couch, and I went to him.

"Sirius?" I shook him lightly, not wanting to hurt him.

"Hmmm?" He moaned, and then winced. I looked down at him, and saw that his shirt was stained with blood. I gently lifted it up, and then immediately wished that I hadn't.

His stomach was torn to shreds and still bleeding slowly. I wondered how much blood he had lost, and was immediately concerned.

"Oh. My. God," I said slowly, "What happened to you guys!?" Sirius looked at Remus, James and Peter before cautiously saying,

"We went for a walk." He voice came out airy and weak, making me even more scared.

"A walk? Right." I said, trying to keep your voice steady.

"We weren't paying attention, and we got too close to the Whomping Willow. Way too close. Remus walked right into it." For once in my life, I almost believed Sirius Black. That was until he shifted slightly and I saw a bite-mark on his arm. And a tree did that, I thought to myself, sure. But right now I was so concerned that I didn't care.

I looked over at the other Marauders, and saw that they were torn up too, but none of them as badly as Sirius it seemed.

"I'm taking him to the hospital wing," I said to them. "He's lost a lot of blood, and needs the nurse right now." They nodded. "I'll be back for you guys in a few minutes." I promised, and lifted Sirius up as gently as possible. He winced again, and his breath came in short ragged bursts. I could tell he was in a lot of pain, so I tried to get to the hospital wing as fast as I could without it hurting him. Even so, it was a slow and painstaking process. The stairs were the worst. I ended up half carrying Sirius.

It took us a good ten minutes to reach the hospital wing. The nurse, Madame Pomfrey, (not like the HPS nurse, think of her mother) then took Sirius and laid him on one of the beds. She took his shirt off, revealing all of the gashes and cuts on his torso and arms. She clucked her tongue disappointedly. I, meanwhile, were suppressing the urge to throw up.

"Is he going to be ok?" I asked nervously. She looked at me gravely.

"He's lost a lot of blood, but he'll be fine. It'll just take him a day or two to recover." I sighed, relieved. Then I remembered James, Remus and Peter, and sprinted back towards the common room. I helped James up, while Peter supported Remus. By the time I returned, Sirius was sleeping on the bed peacefully, all of his cuts gone, with just pale white scars to show that he had even be injured. He was still a little bruised, but looked a whole lot better. Madame Pomfrey snorted indignantly and muttered something about the foolishness of teenage guys under her breath. I sat down next to Sirius while Madame Pomfrey set to work on the other Marauders. His eyes fluttered open.

"Hey Kara," he said weakly, and struggled to sit up. I helped him to do that, and then gave him a bowl of soup that Madame Pomfrey handed me. He ate it hungrily. After he had finished I asked,

"Sirius, what really happened last night?"  
His eyes clouded.

"I told you Kara. We got too close to the Whomping Willow. That's it."

"Okay, then how come Peter isn't hurt?" Sirius looked stumped for a second, but then he said,

"Because, umm, he, uh, oh yeah! He forgot something in the dorm, so he wasn't there when we ran into it, but when he came back out; he had to help us get out of there. We were caught unexpected, but Peter saw it from a distance and was prepared. Yeah! That's what happened. I think." Since he had come pretty close to dying, and he looked like crap, I decided to let it go. I let him drift back into sleep before going over to check on Remus, James and Peter. Thankfully, they were all in the same condition as Sirius.

All of them gave a similar story, only changing minor details. After a while, I went back to the common room, and had to explain everything to Lily and Nat. They immediately went up to the hospital wing to visit the guys, leaving me alone to think. I had been so worried about all of the guys, but especially Sirius. No matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise, my heart kept saying the same thing. That I loved Sirius Black. But I still didn't know if he felt the same way about me.


	12. The NonDate

James, Peter, and Remus came into the Great Hall for dinner, Remus still looking pale. All of them were well rested and mostly healed, and looked a lot better.

"Where's Sirius?" Lily asked as the guys at down, voicing aloud the question I'd been asking silently since they'd come in.

"Madame Pomfrey wants him to stay overnight." When he saw our worried faces, he added quickly, "He's fine. Just took a beating is all." The Barbie fan girl, Roxanne, came over to our section of the table.

"Excuse me? Where's Sirius?" She asked James.

"In the hospital wing."

"Ooooh, poor baby. He must be so lonely. I'll keep him company." She sprinted out of the Great Hall as fast as those stilettos would take her. The thought of Sirius being harassed by this fan girl while he was trying to recover was not a pleasant one.

"I'm gonna go see him." I got up and followed Roxanne. I opened the door to the Hospital Wing to find a very scared looking Sirius inching away from Roxanne.

"Hey, babe, what's up?" I asked Sirius, moving closer to his bed. I winked at him and he looked relieved enough to kiss me. I wished he would. No, we had some things to work out first.

"Hey, Kara, sweetheart. How was your day?" Sirius was playing along.

"Oh, it was alright, but I missed my little Siri-poo!" I sat on his bed and tweaked his nose. He was trying not to laugh. Roxanne gave a disgusted sigh and left the room. I burst out laughing instantly, and couldn't stop, even after Madame Pomfrey threatened to kick me out. It was good to be on friendly terms with Sirius again.

"Kara-"

"No Sirius. You don't need to tell me what happened, but I don't want to hear any more stupid excuses." I sat in silence for a minute. I could tell he felt bad, and was on the verge of telling me something, but then he said

"No. I'm sorry, Kara. I want to tell you what happened last night, but it's not my secret to tell."

"Fair enough," I told him. "Let's just drop it."

"Ok!" he looked excited.

"So, are you still interested in going out with me?" he asked, his face hopeful.

"Not right now Sirius. Not yet." His face fell. I sat in silence for a minute, and then I asked, "So, will you be ready for Quidditch practice tomorrow?" I was teasing him.

"I can try??" he responded tentatively. He thought I was serious. Oh, the male brain. Or lack of one, I thought.

"I was joking, Sirius."

"Oh." I smiled at him, and he grinned back. Those sexy gray eyes of his were looking right into my. And I just told him I wouldn't date him. But I didn't say I'd NEVER date him. Just not right now. That was the best it was gonna get. Madame Pomfrey bustled in, and began to usher me out the door.

"Out, out, out!"

"Good night captain!" Sirius called. I winked and left the hospital wing.

~*Sirius' POV*~

She just said she wouldn't date me. Well, she didn't say she'd never date me. She said not yet. The only question is, is she worth waiting for? Hell yes! I answered my own question immediately. That was the funny thing about Kara. If it were anyone else, I'd move on. So what if they didn't trust me. I had just wanted to make out. Maybe I wanted Kara to trust me because she didn't want just to make out. And neither did I. I just wanted to laugh with her, and be around her, and have her yell at me occasionally. She was so cute when she was mad. She's so cute all the time, I corrected yourself. Yeah. And definitely worth the effort. I gotta make her trust me. But how?

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up to a sunny Sunday morning. Perfect Quidditch weather. It was only 6:00. No one would be up for hours. I decided to try the reading thing again, and picked up Les Miserables. I sat on a couch and read a great deal. At around 7:30, Sirius walked in and sat down next to me. I didn't even notice, so wrapped up in Enjolras' barricade speech.

"Hey, Kara!" Sirius said a little louder than he needed to. I screamed and threw your book across the room. "Are we a little jumpy this morning?" Sirius had laughter in his voice.

"Shut up!" I threw a pillow at him as I got up to get my book.

"Oh no, let me!" He pushed me gently back onto the couch and retrieved me book for me.

"Thank you, kind sir," I said as he handed me my book with a flourish.

"It was my pleasure, good lady." He sat back down and said, "I'm ready for Quidditch today if you need me."

"Are you sure?" I looked him over. His major scrapes and bruises were gone, save for the bite mark in his arm and three faint scratches on his face.

"Yeah I'm sure."

"Well, try not to get hit with any Bludgers today, okay?"

"Ha ha."

"I thought it was funny."

"Not when I was hurt you didn't. You were worried about me!"

"I was not!"

"Oh, come on Kara, admit it. You were worried about me, the ever so charming Sirius Black."

"Ok, you're right." He began a victory dance. I snorted. "I couldn't afford to lose my star Beater. If you were too hurt, we would have had to use Peter." Sirius stopped dancing. He looked a little crestfallen. Was it possible that he wanted me to care? He confused me, whether he was or wasn't around me.

I went back up to your room to get dressed at 8:00. Practice started at 9, and I was going to meet James at breakfast to talk strategy for the first game, which was approaching quickly.

"Hey, James!" I greeted as I sat down next to him.

"Mornin' Kara. So what are you thinking for our first match?"

"Well, Ravenclaw's good, but they're not that good. I don't think we'll need anything too advanced to beat them. But we do have to beat them." Me and James continued to talk what-if's and positioning until we were joined by the rest of the team. It was 8:45. We all headed down to the Quidditch pitch together.

Halfway through practice, which Sirius had attended despite my protests that he not overwork himself too soon, there was a commotion on the ground.

"Keep going with your drills, guys!" I called as James and I flew down to see what was happening. It was Regulus Black, Sirius' younger brother. He was calling Lily and Nat, who had come to watch the practice and study, mudblood and other offensive names. He didn't see us come up behind him. Just as he threatened the safety of "you, your family and all the filthy mudbloods in England." James punched him. Oh, here we go.

"Don't you talk to her that way!" James yelled.

"Or, what, Potter? You'll hit me with your broom? Set your little Snitch after me? Huh?" Before James could answer, I broke things up. Or tried to.

"James, don't. He's not worth it. Regulus, you get away from here now. You're disrupting my practice." Instead of leaving the field, however, Regulus put his arm around me. I shrugged it off and he replaced it.

"Awww, Kara, come on. I was just here to-"

"To terrorize my friends and interrupt my team?"

"No, to make sure my older brother doesn't hurt you again." I glared at him.

"Regulus, your brother, and what he does or says to me, is none of your business!"

"But he upset you. He left you to go to the dance all alone, with these two sorry excuses for witches." He gestured to Lily and Nat. If possible, my glare got even icier. "Now, Kara, we both know you're too good for that. Right?"

"Wrong, you stuck up, arrogant..." I went on to call him more names, all of which are better off unrepeated here, where virgin eyes can see them. "Lily and Nat are great witches, and even if they weren't, they're still better than you, because you're a sorry excuse for a person!" I ranted. He looked at me for a second, and then smiled.

"Feisty. Why weren't you in Slytherin? Better than in Gryffindor with this riff raff." Neither of us had noticed Sirius landing, or listening to the conversation for the last five minutes.

"Get away from her, Regulus!" All the warmth that usually filled his eyes was gone now.

"Or what, you blood traitor? You'll tell your precious headmaster Dumbledore? That mudblood loving..." But he never got the chance to say what Dumbledore was, because at that moment, he was hit by the Furnunculus curse. Nasty boils sprouted up on his face, and he clutched his hands to it, turning to go to the Hospital Wing.

"Who did that?" I asked. James and Sirius shrugged, looking as confused as I was.

"Well, he was way out of line." Lily said. My eyes widened in disbelief.

"No? Not-Lily Evans? Cursing a fellow student? Even if he is a slimy excuse for a human being?"

"Well, yeah. But it won't happen again." Lily and I smiled at one another.

"Uh oh, Lil. You may have just made James like you even more!"

"What? Oh, crap!" I laughed and kicked off, joining the remainder of my team in the air. James and Sirius came a second later.

"Well, guys, I guess that's enough excitement for one day. I'll let you know when I schedule another practice!" We all flew down to the locker rooms for showers and a change of clothes.  
After spending the rest of the day doing homework I had neglected in the excitement of the dance and worrying about Sirius, I finished just in time for dinner. 6:00 pm. I put my books on my bed and went down to the Great Hall. The ceiling shone with bright stars tonight. It was beautiful out. Just as I were about to sit down, I heard

"Can I talk to you?" behind I saw a hopeful looking Sirius Black.

"Ok. After dinner?"

"No. Now." I sighed, but followed him out of the Great Hall anyway. To my surprise, he didn't stop in the corridor, but went through the double doors and out of the castle. This was getting interesting.

"Sirius, where are we going?" I asked him.

"You'll see!" After about a five minute walk, we arrived on top of a hill, which had a blanket spread out on it, along with sandwiches and bottles of butterbeer.

"Sirius, did you do this?"

"Yes, I did." I laughed.

"Sirius Black. Is this a date?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"No. You are my friend. I wanted to talk to my friend (that's you) during dinner. So of course I supply alternate nutrition for the aforementioned friend."

"Ok." I sat down on the blanket. "So, my friend, what did you want to talk about?" He sighed, and looked at me.

"Well, first I wanted to apologize for my brother earlier."

"It wasn't your fault, Sirius. He's an ass. You can't help that."

"I know. But-" he paused, as if searching for the right words. "I don't want him saying that stuff to you guys. He can call me a blood traitor all he likes. I've heard it all my life and I'm sure I'll hear it for the rest of my life. But that doesn't mean you need to hear it." I smiled sadly at him.

"Sirius, is the rest of your family like Regulus?"

"Yeah." He looked into his bottle of butterbeer. I waited for him to say something more on the subject. I had known he didn't get along well with his family, but I didn't think they were all like Regulus.

"They're pure bloods." Sirius stated. "They're all caught up in this stupid theory that being pureblooded makes you better than everyone else. When I got Sorted into Gryffindor, they were so disappointed. But when I told them that being pureblooded didn't make you better than everyone else, they flipped. They locked me in my room for a week." I didn't say anything. "Since then, I can barely be in the same room with my parents without hearing the 'oh, Regulus is such a perfect son, better than this boy! What did we do to deserve this mudblood lover?' like I'm not even there. Either that or they're badmouthing the Potters. I'd want to be FAR away if they ever found out about Lily. 'You, a pureblood wizard, hanging out with a MUGGLE BORN?' Oh my mother would have a heart attack!" There was a look on his face, just for a quick second, which said he was contemplating about telling his mother he was friends with a Muggle born witch. Then it changes back to sadness.

He looked up at me. I looked back at him, and then lay down on the blanket, looking up at the stars. I thought about how my parents were so in love, and how they loved me and my older brothers so much. Even though my mom needed to work here in England, and my dad in America, they still cared for each other. Even if living on two different continents was hard, it was loads better than living unhappily all in the same house. Sirius was looking at me apprehensively.

"That sucks, Sirius." Was what came out of my mouth. I knew he didn't want your pity, so I told him the truth. He smiled genuinely. "Now, I might need to go Barbie doll on you and have a good cry, and then rock my little Siri-poo to sleep in my arms." He laughed. I opened my arms out to him and started to sing 'Rock a bye Baby'. He looked scared. I laughed and put my arms down, returning to the comfortable position of lying on my back, star gazing.

This time, Sirius lay down next to me. I looked up at the stars in silence for awhile.

"Thanks, Kara." Sirius said quietly about a half an hour later.

"What are friends for?" I said, winking at him. I lay in silence for awhile longer, until Sirius said,

"We've got to go if we want to make curfew." I hoisted yourself up and waited for Sirius to magic away the blanket and the remainders of our sandwich feast before starting down to the castle side by side.  
We arrived back at the common room to be bombarded with questions from your friends and the Marauders.

"Where were you two?" Lily asked.

"What were you doing?" Nat added.

"Why's your hair all messed up?" James pointed to your head. I felt it and realized that it was messy from lying on the blanket.

"Good night, guys!" I waved and went up to the dorm. Nat and Lily followed me, of course.

"What was that all about?"

"Yeah, you spend the entire evening with Sirius without telling us, and then you come back with a smile on your face and your hair all messed up? What were you doing?"

"An explanation is in order, Miss O'Connell." Lily added in her best McGonagall voice.

"Guys, we just talked, ok? Now I'm going to bed."

"Yeah you talked. What girl is alone with Sirius Black for hours and TALKS the whole time?" I raised my hand.

"This one!" I had already changed into your pajamas, and I now got into bed. Lily and Nat gave me disbelieving looks, but I ignored them. Looking at my clock, it read 9:15. What an eventful weekend it had been.


	13. The Most Gorgeous Face

Three weeks passed, nothing out of the ordinary happening. Except when the Marauders somehow got beards to grow onto all of the Slytherins faces. They wouldn't come off all day. Quite amusing.

I woke up early. Thursday. It was November 24. I got up and dressed. The others were still sleeping when I was done. I grinned evilly as I yanked Lily's covers off of her bed. She sat up immediately and glared at me. I flashed a smile and moved over to Nat's bed. She screamed when I took the blankets. I did an evil laugh and walked down to the common room to wait for them. It was mostly empty, it being early.

I was surprised when Sirius came down the stairs. He was usually the last one up before classes, often missing breakfast.

"What are you doing up so early?" I inquired.

"Sitting next to you," he replied, doing just that.

"Obviously."

"If it was obvious, you wouldn't have asked."

"Okay, that's true."

"Nah, I just couldn't sleep." He did look a little tired.

"Something wrong?"

"I was thinking about the feast tonight." He was joking about something, but you didn't know what.

"What feast?"

"It's Thanksgiving."

"Oh." (I don't think they have Thanksgiving in England, but they do now!)  
He laughed. I elbowed him playfully. Someone yawned loudly behind me. Roxanne. She was alone this time.

"Hey, Sirius!" she batted her eyelashes. He waved at her. "You two aren't really going out, are you?"

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"You never kiss or hold hands or anything." Roxanne stated the obvious.

"Okay, so we're not going out." I admitted.

"Why do you pretend?" Sirius answered this one.

"Well, sometimes, okay all the time, I don't want girls hanging on me. So Kara gives me a hand."

"Oh. I get it. I've been a little annoying, haven't I?" Sirius considered.

"Well, yeah. But it's okay. `I'm just a lot older than you. But I bet there are a lot of guys in your year that would love to go out with you, or just be your friend."

"Like you two are friends?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing. You two just make a cute couple." She smiled. "And you DO spend an awful large amount of time together." I blushed. Sirius laughed.

"So, Roxanne. Any guys that strike your fancy?" Roxanne blushed.

"Well, there is this one boy"

"I can help you, if you want." Sirius offered. He looked at me and I smiled. This was a nice side of him. A fatherly side. Sirius had a fatherly side. That struck me as sort of funny, and I tried not to laugh out loud as Sirius began to tell Roxanne how to get the boys attention.

Lily and Natalie finally joined us about ten minutes later. Instead of waiting for the guys as I expected him to, Sirius walked down to breakfast with us. As he and Natalie talked about something, I thought about how things had gone with Sirius this school year. From loathing to liking to possibly loving to loathing to liking. In only 3 months. Neither Sirius nor I had brought up the idea of dating since that night in the hospital wing.

I was happy being friends for now. It seemed that he was, too. We entered the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. The rest of the guys joined us a few minutes later. Spirits were high in the Great Hall, because our afternoon classes were cancelled today for the feast. That meant no astronomy with Sirius. But it also meant more sleep, which I could always use.

I headed off to my Double Arithmancy class with Natalie and Remus, the only other ones who took it. I talked to Remus about a prank the Marauders had played in breakfast yesterday. (They had bewitched Snape's food to fly around and bounce off his nose. The four of them were serving detentions tonight and tomorrow.) Natalie walked beside you in silence. She was still a little nervous around Remus. I decided to give them some time alone.

"Oh, guys, I forgot. I have to go and talk to Professor Minion about something!" With that, I ran ahead, arriving at the Arithmancy classroom ten minutes early. I got out my book, this week it was The Thornbirds (great book! There's a character with my name in it!).

The rest of the class began to file in after a few minutes. Remus and Nat finally walked in about 30 seconds before class started. Nat looked really happy. I wondered why.

~*Natalie's POV*~

Kara made some lame excuse about needing to talk to a teacher and ran off. This left me alone with Remus. I was suddenly all tongue-tied. I had a sneaking suspicion that if someone were to ask me my name right about now I wouldn't be able to answer them.

"Natalie?" Remus said my name.

"Yes, Remus?" Wow. Two words at once. Nice.

"Well, there's a Hogsmeade trip coming up on December 12." He stopped. I knew about the Hogsmeade trip. Why was he bringing it up? "I was wondering if you'd like to go with me." He blushed, but kept his gaze steady. I looked back at him calmly. I was, however, rejoicing on the inside. "If you don't want to go, that's ok." Remus added.

"Oh, no Remus. I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you!" I smiled, showing all of my teeth. Remus smiled back.

"Well, we'd better get to class." I hadn't even realized we'd stopped walking. We continued along, all of my anxiety forgotten. We talked about Charms club, which he seemed interested in, and some other things. I was still grinning broadly when was reached Arithmancy just in time for class.

~*Kara's POV*~

Of course you had DOUBLE Arithmancy today. I was dying to know what was up with Nat, but every time I tried to ask her she just put a finger to her lips and stared at the board. Finally the three hours were up, and I asked Natalie once again. She held my arm, waiting until everyone had left the classroom, before squealing,

"Remus asked me to go to Hogsmeade with him!!"

"Oh my God! Nat that's so cool!"

"I know! I haven't stopped smiling since he asked me." I laughed. Nat rarely showed such extreme emotion. We walked up to the common room, arms linked, talking about the Hogsmeade trip that was in three weeks. We reached the Tower and went up to our dorm to prepare for the feast. Lily came in from Care of Magical Creatures a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed from the cool air outside. We were supposed to wear our school uniforms to the feast, but Nat and Lily insisted on doing their hair and makeup over.

I went over to the magic CD player, and told it to play our theme song. I grabbed a brush and jumped on my bed, shaking 'your little toush on the catwalk.' I sang loudly, so people in the common room could hear me. I didn't know this though. Nat and Lily laughed at me as they continued to primp. I grew bored once my song ended and began to nag them to hurry up.

"Just go wait downstairs, Kara. Well be along in a minute!" Obediently, I went down to the common room to wait. Sirius was there, an amused smirk on his lips.

"So, Kara, you're too sexy for your shirt? Would you prove it to me?" He asked as I sat down next to him.

"No, you perv." I elbowed him in the stomach. "I didn't know people could hear me down here."

"Well, it gave me a laugh. So, Lily and Nat are primping, too?"

"What do you mean, they're primping too?"

"James, Peter and Remus! James wants to look good for lily, Remus for Nat, and Peter.... for Peter." I laughed.

"And how about you, Mr. Black? Done with your primping?" Sirius let a look of mock astonishment come across his face.

"I don't need primping to look good! See this face?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me, putting on a sexy grin. I pushed his face away.

"Yeah I see it. So??"

"So? You are looking at the most gorgeous face to cross the threshold of Hogwarts!"

"I thought that was my face!" He laughed.

"You can be second."

"Okay!" I both laughed.  
When all of our friends were finally done primping, we headed down to the Great Hall and the Thanksgiving feast. Remus and Nat held hands, and *GASP* James and Lily talked, with Peter. Sirius and I said nothing for awhile, but we were starving. Getting impatient with how slow everyone else was walking, I finally grabbed Sirius hand and ran down the hallways with him, arriving at the Hall within a minute. There were a few girls chatting outside, so I kept hold on Sirius's hand, preventing them from coming any closer.

I needed to get to the feast. I sat down, still hand in hand, but to my dismay the golden plates were still empty. The feast hadn't started yet. The others came in a few minutes later, puzzled. There was a disappointed and angry look on my face as I glared at the plate sitting in front of me.

"What's wrong, Kara?" Lily asked.

"I'm hungry!" I shouted. Just then, Dumbledore stood up, causing the Hall to go silent immediately.

"Happy Thanksgiving everyone! As some of you are very hungry," he looked at me, "we will start the feast with no further setbacks." We all laughed at your being singled out as food appeared on the dishes. I grabbed some turkey and mashed potatoes and began to eat.

I didn't notice that Sirius and I were still holding hands until after I pulled it away to pour myself some milk. I looked at Sirius, eyes wide. He was looking at his plate, still empty, and there was a pink tinge on the tips of his ears. I looked away and started to eat again, in silence.

"Why aren't you eating, Padfoot?" Remus asked Sirius.

"What?" Sirius looked up. "Oh, yeah food. He began to load his plate with turkey and corn. "Can I have the butter, Kara?" "Sure." I passed it to him without meeting his eyes.

But our hands touched as he took it from me. I jerked it away before he got a grip on it, and the butter fell to the floor.

"I'll get it!" we both exclaimed, and dove under the table at the same time.

"I said I would get it." Sirius mumbled indignantly as I retrieved the butter.

"Well, so did I!" I retorted. Everyone else was really confused. So was I. I held his hand! Without even noticing! How could I do that?? I didn't want to get involved with Sirius right now. I liked being friends.

But deep down I knew I wanted more. I had found myself wishing more and more often that Sirius would put his arm around my waist like he had that day with the bludger, or whisper into my ear like he had that night we played I've Never.

I ate the rest of your dinner in silence and left the table without a word.

I was sitting by the fire in the common room when Remus, James, Lily, Nat, and Peter came in. The guys said nothing as they passed me and entered their dorm.

"What's up, Kara?" Nat asked.

"Oh nothing. Just something with Sirius."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Nope!"

"Okay."

"I'll be up in a minute guys." I told Nat and Lil. They made their way to your room, leaving me alone once more. Fifteen minutes later, Sirius walked in. He sat down next to me.

"Hey,"

"Hey,"

"So, I guess we kinda freaked out earlier, huh?" Sirius said.

"Yeah," We looked at each other, and started laughing.

"Friends?" Sirius said in a fake high voice.

"Friends!" I agreed, as Sirius folded me into a bear hug. I smiled and went up to bed.


	14. A Nighttime Discovery

~*Sirius' POV*~

It was November 27. A full moon. It was also a Saturday, so me, Prongs, Wormtail and Moony slept in as long as possible. It was 1:00 when we finally got out of bed to take a shower. My stomach was still scarred from last month. Forever would it be your reminder of the endless hours I'd spent helping a friend.

The shower was warm, and I stood still and let the water run down my body. I thought of Kara. And Thanksgiving. How I'd held her hand without noticing, like it was the natural thing to do. I hadn't even noticed until she pulled away. And the instant she had, I'd wanted to pull her hand back, so I could feel like all was right with the world, like I had for the short time our palms had been touching.

I sighed and began to shampoo my hair. Kara still didn't completely trust me. That was why she'd freaked out, and I knew it. I had been gaining her trust back since the night under the stars. And now I'd continue to build it up. What she, or anyone else, didn't know, was that I was a little scared of the same thing she was. Kara was amazing, and could have almost any guy in the entire school. Would she want to stay with me? I was glad you'd gotten to know her better before dating her. I really liked her, as a friend as well as maybe, definitely, something more. When she was ready, I was. I finished my shower and stepped back into my room.

My friends had all stirred. Remus looked terrible, gaunt and pale. None of us said anything as we began to dress. There would be no prank playing today, just waiting, as we always did, for the daylight to end and our task to begin.

~*Kara's POV*~

I was awakened at 7:30 by the sunlight streaming in through the window. I slept late, I thought. I rolled out of bed and into bathroom to take my morning shower. After putting a silencing charm on the room, I told my magic music player to play yomyur favorite song, and hopped into the shower, singing along.

I washed your hair, and my thoughts turned to Sirius. I had been having so much fun as his friend, until Thanksgiving. I didn't understand how holding his hand was so...right. Like I was so comfortable touching him that I didn't even notice. Except for a warm, happy feeling. It scared me.

I still liked him, but he hadn't shown that he wouldn't ditch me in a few weeks after he got what he wanted. But I also knew that he didn't want to be around me just in hopes of getting kissed, or more. Because he knew I wouldn't do that. If he wanted that, there would be plenty of willing girls. But he still stuck around. This reassured me. My song ended as I began to shave my legs. When I finished showering, I returned to my room, got dressed, and grabbed my book. I was now reading Star Wars, Episode VI. I loved Muggle books, even the Muggle book version of my favorite Muggle movie. I curled up in Sirius' favorite armchair, a deep maroon one close to the fire, and read until I got hungry. I went to the Great Hall alone, bringing Han, Luke and Leia with me.

It was 1:15. I was halfway through my meal, and the Final Battle, when someone sat down next to me and asked me to please pass the butter. I turned around to face Sirius.

"Only if you promise not to drop it." I joked.

"I promise," I handed it to him, careful not to let my fingers touch his. He took it and began to butter a piece of bread.

"So are you doing anything this afternoon?" I wondered what he had in mind.

"Depends."

"On?"

"On if you offer a better alternative." Sirius smiled.

"Were you under the impression that I had something planned? I was merely going to invite myself wherever you were going."

"So you're going to sit in the common room and do nothing with me all day?" I asked.

"Couldn't think of a better way to spend my Saturday!" Sirius exclaimed, getting up from the table. I followed him, walking out of the Great Hall and back to Gryffindor Tower. So, Sirius and I did absolutely nothing all day, the others joining us.

At around 5:00, the Marauders got up.

"Where are you going?" Lily asked.

"Detention," they responded simultaneously, and left without another word.

About half an hour later, I grew bored.

"I'm going for a walk, guys." I announced to Lily and Natalie.

"Do you want us to come?" Lily asked.

"No. That's ok," I, too, left the common room, and headed towards the castle grounds. Once outside the school, I transformed into a dog. I pranced around for a few minutes before some movement near the Whomping Willow caught your eye...

It was James, Sirius, and Remus. There was an Invisibility cloak on the ground near them. Remus was twitching uncomfortably. I hid behind a tree, still a dog, to see what was going on. The clouds shifted, revealing the full moon, at the same moment that the branches of the Whomping Willow stopped moving.

Sirius and James pushed Remus towards the tree, as he completed his transformation into a...werewolf?? I was shocked, but then not as much so. Suddenly it all made sense. The sickness every month, the werewolf books he was always reading...But then I saw something that definitely shocked me. Sirius and James turned into animals. A dog and a stag.

They continued to fight Remus off and try to push him towards the tree. Then, the animagus thing made sense too. Padfoot...Sirius was a dog. Prongs...a stag! Wow. They were something else. Meanwhile the fighting was growing more brutal. Sirius and James were strong, but Remus was too. Every time they got knocked down, they staggered up again, with fresh blood pouring from a new wound.

And then, Remus tackled James to the ground and scratched at him. Sirius tried to pull him off, but couldn't. I needed to help them, or Remus would tear James apart. I bounded towards the three animals, and helped Sirius pull Remus off of the still Prongs. He didn't move, even after a few more minutes of you working with Sirius to get Remus towards the Whomping Willow, and the passageway I could now see behind it. Remus jumped on me, he scratched, and he even bit my shoulder.

But every time it got too bad, Padfoot came to the rescue, and Remus turned on him. Sirius was really beaten up. He was limping on one of his back legs, and his front legs were bitten badly. His torso was scratched and would be bruised badly as well. He pushed Remus off of him and towards the passageway. I helped him, pulling Remus with your teeth as Sirius did.

It was hard work, and Remus put up a good fight. It took about an hour to finally coax him into the passage, and even longer to lead him through it, all the way to... the Shrieking Shack? Wow. EVERYTHING made sense now. Remus was the one the Hogsmeade villagers heard to make them think the Shack was haunted. Once Remus was shut safely inside, Sirius collapsed.

I wanted to help him, but I knew that I should check on James, and then go back to the castle. I wasn't ready to confront the boys about this yet. On my way out, a large rat scurried past me. James had gotten up, I saw as I reached the entrance to the passage. He was headed towards the Willow right now.

I scampered off, until I was at the doors of the castle. Then, I changed back to human form and slowly made your way up to bed, falling asleep instantly. The morning came, and I did not wake up at 6, or 7, or 8 o 'clock. Lily and Nat were worried, but I could not be shaken awake. Finally, at 9:15, I awoke from your slumber. I ached everywhere.

I concocted a quick Healing Potion (potions was one of your better subjects, despite the crappy teacher) and applied it to my wounds. I looked and felt a little better. I went downstairs, and found Lily and Nat talking about me.

"Well, I mean she didn't come back from her walk until after we'd gone to sleep,"

"But she goes to bed that late with us sometimes and she's still up early,"

"Do you think she's ok?"

"I think she'll be just fine!" I interrupted their hushed conversation.

"Oh, hey Kara!"

"Are you alright??"

"Yeah, I just got in late last night, that's all. I needed to do some thinking." "

About Sirius?" Nat guessed.

"Yeah...and other things." Now I needed to decide whether or not to tell the Marauders about me and what I'd seen the previous night.


	15. December 12th

It was December 12, the day of the Hogsmeade trip. Natalie was excited about going with Remus. I was going with Lily, and planned to hang out with James, Peter, and Sirius. Lily and I helped Nat get ready (well, Lily helped. I attempted.).

When they were finished, I put down my book and the three of us headed to the main entrance to meet the boys. Nat and Remus waved goodbye as they started towards Hogsmeade, arms around each other. They talked with their heads close together, Nat leaning into Remus. I smiled at how close they'd gotten since Nat had agreed to come with Remus on this trip. Six years of hidden feelings had finally been uncovered. I had never seen either of them so happy.

I turned my attention back to Lily and James, who were fighting. Again. Lily hadn't been too happy to learn that I'd invited the Marauders along with us, but she'd conceded. Sirius rolled his eyes at them at the same time I did, and we both smiled. I hadn't mentioned the full moon, or what had happened that night, to the Marauders. I didn't know why Remus didn't trust me enough to tell me, but it was his choice. And this way, I could help them again without them knowing.

But now I knew why Sirius hadn't been able to bring me to the dance. I checked the lunar charts, and sure enough, Halloween had been a full moon. I liked Sirius even more now, although I tried to tell myself that I'd told him I wasn't interested. But I was. Very interested. I liked that he'd helped a friend over taking a girl out. Even if it was me. I wished I could tell him this, and that I forgave him, but I couldn't. Not without explaining everything.

I was about halfway to Hogsmeade. Sirius walked silently next to me, and James and Lily continued to scream at one another a few feet behind us. The yelling ended with an exasperated

"God, Evans!" and James jogging to catch up to us.

"Is she always that insane?" James asked.

"Yeah!" I replied happily. He groaned and I laughed.

"So, what were you fighting about??" I asked. "She said that Quidditch wasn't an art!" James looked highly offended.

"And you said it was?" Sirius asked, amused.

"Yeah! And she got all huffy and said 'no, Potter, it's a sport. Dance is an art. Poetry is an art. Quidditch is a SPORT!'" He did a good impression of Lily, I thought. Unfortunately Lily, who had caught up to us, didn't think so. She hit him on the back of the head, causing him to yell

"Ow!" and glare at her. She stuck out her tongue, and he did the same to her (very mature, I know.). Sirius was laughing. I was amused for a different reason. They weren't fighting because Lily had turned James down again. They were almost talking about Quidditch. And now they were flirting! I saw them pushing each other playfully ahead of me. I couldn't wait to make Lily tell me what I could already see. She liked James Potter!

Sirius and James had begun talking, and Lily was approaching me.

"Lily Marie Evans!" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you liked James?"

"What?" Lily tried to act clueless, but she was bright red.

"When did this happen?"

"I don't know. I didn't tell you because I thought you'd laugh." She was right. I was laughing. So hard that James and Sirius stopped walking and looked at me. Lily was even redder now. I felt bad, but the irony was great! He chases her for 6 years, and she complains and pushes him away, and now she's crushing on the guy!! I finally got yourself to stop laughing, and said,

"Sorry, Lil." as I wiped tears from my eyes. "Guys," I turned to Sirius and James. "We need to talk. We'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks in an hour." I instructed, leading Lily away. "Okay, I'm done laughing. Now tell me. When did you start to like him?" Lily gave me a look. "I said I was sorry, Lily! You have to admit it's a little funny. I mean, he's chased you since first year and you always swore that you'd never date him!"

"Do you think I'm being stupid?" Lily asked, biting her lip nervously.

"What? No, Lily. James is a great guy. And he'd never do anything to hurt you." She smiled.

"Kara? Don't tell anyone, ok?? He's growing on me, but I'm not ready to date him or anything."

"Yet." I added, grinning mischievously. Lily elbowed me. We walked around aimlessly, until Lily suddenly stopped me.

"You don't think he'll hate me because I said that Quidditch wasn't an art, do you?" She looked horrified.

"Lily, come on! He'll get over it!" I laughed and pulled her into the Three Broomsticks, where James and Sirius were already waiting with Peter.

"Hey boys!" I greeted, sitting down next to Sirius. Now the only other seat at the table was next to James. Lily glared at me and I smiled back innocently.

"So what did you two lovely ladies talk about?" James asked.

"We made a bet." I replied sarcastically. James didn't catch the sarcasm.

"What kind of a bet?" he asked.

"I bet that Lily couldn't get you in bed before Christmas." I lied. And James said,

"Well, you're going to lose, Kara." He was smiling broadly.

"It was a joke, Potter." Lily spelled it out for him.

"Oh." James looked disappointed. I laughed. The rest of the day was uneventful. We drank butterbeer, walked around the town, and talked about nothing. We didn't run into Nat and Remus once all day. I wondered what they were up to.

~*Natalie's POV*~

I broke away from Remus' arms. It was getting dark out. I hadn't even noticed. Remus had led me away from the town and into a wooded area, where he had set up a picnic lunch. We ate and talked and laughed about Kara and Sirius, and our teachers, and about pranks the Marauders had pulled. I had always thought Remus didn't have much to do with these pranks; that he didn't object but didn't participate often.

I was dead wrong. He was so funny! I looked at him now.

"It's getting late," I explained my reason for stopping his kisses. We'd been going on like this for...TWO HOURS?!? I looked at my watch again. It was right. Wow. His lips had just felt so good. And his arms wrapped around me. And his hands. They had begun to explore my body over the last few minutes. I didn't want to go back to school.

"We don't have to go back," Remus said hopefully. We thought alike.

"Yes, we do. We can't miss dinner. Everyone will be worried."

"Well, Kara and Lily will be, anyway." Remus replied. I smiled, and he took my hand and led me back to Hogwarts.

~*Kara's POV*~

When Natalie and Remus walked into the Great Hall, I tried not to laugh. Really, I did. It just wouldn't work. Natalie's hair was a mess, her shirt was crinkled, and her lipstick was smeared and faded. What had faded off of her lips was now on Remus's, whose shirt looked even worse than Nat's, untucked on top of wrinkled.

They didn't notice the looks people were giving them, or the gossiping that was already starting behind the hands of the girls. They were oblivious and very happy looking.

"Hey, guys!" Nat said casually, sliding into the seat next to me.

"Why are you laughing?" She added, confused.

"Umm... have you looked in a mirror since this morning?" Lily asked uncertainly.

"No. Why?" Lily took a small mirror out of her bag. Instead of screaming or leaving dinner to go get cleaned up, Natalie just smiled.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll need to wash my face." Then she turned to Remus and began giggling.

"What?" he asked. She showed him his reflection.

"Oh." Remus smiled back at Natalie. James waved a hand in front of their faces, breaking their eye contact. "What, Prongs?" Remus asked angrily.

"So, Moony. You had fun today." Remus nodded. "But Kara and Lily made a bet that Lily couldn't get me in bed before Christmas. Kara's going to lose the bet tonight."

"Potter!" Lily began. "We were-"

"I know, Lily. I was joking." James said.

"Oh." Lily looked down at her plate. When she looked up, James' eyes were still on her. He smiled, and she smiled back. That was new. I smiled, too. Everyone was getting together. Except for me. And Sirius. And Peter. Ok, well some of us were getting together. Better than none I suppose, I thought as I continued eating.

Once dinner was over with, we all headed back up to the common room, the Marauders questioning Remus about what had happened in Hogsmeade. Lily and I were doing the same with Nat. None of us got anything good out of them. Oh, well! I went to bed smiling, happy for my friends.

I woke up on Christmas morning and saw a light snow falling. It was sparkling in the first light of the morning sun. Still up first, I thought.

"Merry Christmas!" I yelled, and Lily and Nat woke up, yawning and stretching.

"Merry Christmas, Kara," Lily answered. I decided that they'd wake up on their own from here, and went to wake up the guys.

"Merry Christmas!" I called from the door. No one moved. Here we go. "Accio covers," I muttered, and every blanket, sheet and pillowcase in the room flew to me. This woke the boys up.

"Hey!" James yelled. "Who did that?" Remus asked. Peter looked startled. Sirius mumbled something about flying motorcycles and turned over. "Merry Christmas!" I repeated. This perked the guys right up. Except for Sirius, who slept on. The three of them all grabbed for the pile of presents at the foot of their bed, but I stopped them.

"Wait for Lily and Nat!" I chastised.

"Ok," the boys said reluctantly. I pointed to Sirius.

"How do we get him up?" James walked over to Sirius' bed.

"Hey, Padfoot! Kara's taking a shower in our dorm this morning!" Sirius sat right up. When he saw me looking at him with my eyes wide, he turned pink.

"See, it's not that hard!" James said, pleased with himself. Nat and Lily came in just then, carrying armfuls of presents each.

"Here, Kara, we got yours, too." Lily said, as my two best friends put all of my presents down-on Sirius' bed. I sat down next to him and said,

"What are we waiting for?" Everyone began to open up their presents. I opened the ones from my family first. Sirius, who hadn't gotten any from his, watched me intently. From Mike, my brother who played Quidditch professionally in America, there was a New York Yankees sweatshirt (my favorite baseball team!) and a book called "Quidditch Through the Ages."

'It's a new book,' he explained in his note. 'It was the only thing I could be sure you wouldn't have read yet. Merry Christmas! Love, Mike'

Sirius picked up the note, and a funny look crossed his face. But it disappeared as quickly as it came, and I went back to the rest of my gifts. I had gotten books from my dad and the rest of my brothers, except Barry, who had given me a magical Video player and the Star Wars trilogy to play on it. My mom had sent a pink diary and a silver mirror. She really wanted me to be girlier. I sighed and made a face at the present.

"Those are for you?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah." I didn't elaborate. From my friend Megann, a Muggle who lived next door to me in Connecticut, I got a picture of us in a nice frame. All of the guys were VERY interested in this.

"It doesn't move!" Sirius exclaimed, while James prodded it with his wand. I took the frame away from them, chuckling.

"Okay," Lily announced. "Let's open the presents from each other!" We all began to open the presents from our friends. I loved all of my gifts, but I noticed there wasn't one from Sirius. I wanted to ask him about it but didn't. I was disappointed. He had gotten something for everyone else. Remus came over to me.

"Finally!" He held up the copy of Romeo and Juliet I'd given him. I liked to quote it, and Remus had always asked me what the story was about but I told him I didn't want to ruin it for him.

"You'll love it!" I told him. Once the chaos of unwrapping and thanking each other was over, we went down to the Great Hall for breakfast, still in our pajamas.

We were the only ones down this early, save for Dumbledore and McGonagall. We laughed and fooled around with the Wizard Crackers on the table.

By the end of the meal, I wore a top hat, Sirius a pink flowered bonnet, James a hat that had a giant Snitch on top of it, and Lily, one that James had put on her head. It was one of those beanie things with the propellers on it, in red and green. We all looked quite funny. Remus, Peter and Natalie had forgone wearing hats, and were playing Exploding Snap.

We stayed in the Great Hall until others started streaming in. I was glad we'd all decided to stay for Christmas vacation. It was lots of fun so far. Something clicked in the back of my mind, and I realized that the full moon was in three days' time. I forgot this as we proceeded out onto the grounds to have a snowball fight. An hour later, soaked, freezing, and laughing our heads off, we set off for the castle. Sirius held me back, however, and the others continued on.

"What is it, Sirius?" I asked. He handed me a package.

"Merry Christmas, Kara." With that, he turned towards the school, leaving me alone to open the gift. I smiled when I saw what he'd gotten me. Or, made me, I guessed. A Make Your Own Barbie Kit. It consisted of makeup, a spell for hair extensions, a bra, some girl's underwear, and high heels. I didn't notice the card until I'd stopped laughing.

Dear Kara, I'm sorry for breaking your trust. I didn't mean to hurt you. I hope you can completely forgive me someday. Love, Sirius P.S. I'll be very offended if you use your present on anyone but me. Think of it as a final apology.

I smiled evilly. This would be fun. I headed back to Gryffindor Tower, only to run into Nat and Remus, who were leaving. I shrugged and entered the common room. Sirius wasn't there.

"Where's Sirius?" I asked James, who was sitting in front of the fire roasting marshmallows with Peter.

"Up in the dorm with Lily."

"Doesn't that bother you?" I asked.

"What, are you joking?" James laughed. I did too. So he wasn't being overprotective anymore, acting like any guy within 5 feet of Lily was trying to hit on her. That was good. I put my kit on my bed and went to the boys' dorm. I was about to enter when Lily stepped out.

"Oh, hey Kara!" she said in a squeaky voice, and ran down the stairs. Weird, I thought. I knocked on the door, and Sirius' muffled reply came

"Come in!"

"Hey, Sirius! I loved your present!" I sat down on his bed with him next to me.

"Good. Listen, Kara-" But we were interrupted by Peter coming in and grabbing a bagful of dung bombs.

"Oh, great," I muttered. Sirius tried to smile innocently. I rolled my eyes.

"So, what were you going to say?"

"Oh. Nothing. It doesn't matter. Let's go downstairs and join the others, yeah?" he got up before I had a chance to answer. I had no choice but to follow him to the common room. I wondered what was going on.

~*Natalie's POV*~

Remus led me out of the castle and, to my surprise, towards the Whomping Willow. He picked up a stick and prodded a knot on the tree. The branches stopped moving, and revealed a passageway.

"Remus," I hesitated. It didn't look too cozy.

"Come on, Nat," Remus held out his hand. I took it, and found myself in a small tunnel. Remus led me along until we reached a building. The furniture was bitten and broken and strewn everywhere.

"Remus, where are we?"

"The Shrieking Shack."

"Really? So it's not haunted then."

"No. It's not." Then you noticed a table that wasn't torn to shreds. It had candlesticks and two plates on it as well.

"Oh, Remus."

"Merry Christmas, Natalie!" He kissed me, softly at first, but then he deepened it. I moaned softly as his tongue slid into my mouth. He broke away a moment later and pulled out one of the chairs for me.

"Just tell the plate what you'd like to eat." he instructed. I did and so did he, and our order appeared instantly. We had a nice dinner, talking about whatever came to mind. After we'd finished Remus led me over to a couch that was clawed open and whose legs were chewed. I sat down next to him, with his arms around me. I leaned in and kissed him passionately. He was the sweetest person I knew and I'd grown to love him over the last few weeks.

"I love you, Natalie." Remus whispered in my ear, and he began to kiss your neck, moving from my ear to my collarbone. So he felt the same! I was ecstatic.

"I love you too, Remus!" I whispered back. His hand wandered up my shirt, and I shivered. It was cold. He pulled back, looking panicked.

"Oh, Nat, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean- I mean it just happened and-"

"It's ok, Rem." I smiled at him. "Your hands are just cold." He smiled and pulled me back into him. His still freezing fingers unhooked my bra I lifted off my shirt. I kissed him, and began to work on the buttons of his shirt...


	16. A Letter?

~*Nats POV*~

I tried to sneak in to my dorm without waking up Kara or Lily. It was 5 am. I was almost to my bed when a pillow hit me on the back of the head, followed by two bodies tackling me to the ground.

"You spent the night with Remus!" Kara exclaimed.

"Did you sleep with him?" Lily asked.

"Get off guys!" I pushed them off of me and sat on me bed. So did they.

"What happened?"

"Yeah. Were gonna find out anyway!"

"Come on Nat! Tell us!"

"Please?" I shot them a look and they were silenced. For a minute.

"Did you sleep with him Nat?" Lily asked quietly. I smiled.

"Yes." Kara and Lily screamed.

"How was it?" I didn't answer but I couldn't stop smiling. My night had been amazing. I lay back on my pillow and closed my eyes. My two best friends lay down on either side of me, and we all fell asleep. A perfect conclusion to a Merry Christmas.

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up on Natalie's bed around lunchtime. Rolling off the bed I saw that Nat and Lily were still asleep. As quietly as possible I exited the dorm. All was quiet for a few minutes, and I stared out the window, looking upon the sparkling Hogwarts grounds.

Then there was a loud BANG! Echoing from below me, and the Marauders entered the common room looking very pleased. I smiled.

"What was that?" you asked.

"Let's just say Filch will be doing some extra repairs today" James explained. I noticed that Remus looked tired, but he was smiling bigger than any of them. I smiled knowingly back at him, and he blushed. Nat and Lily stumbled down the staircase at that moment.

"What was that?" Natalie asked.

"That was us!" Sirius stated proudly.

"Like we hadn't guessed." Lily replied sarcastically.

"Well we might have snuck into the girls bathroom on the fourth floor and dropped some, or a whole bagful, of Filibusters Fireworks in the toilets. And blew them up. But it's just a guess." Peter clarified. I laughed. I hated Filch as much as the rest of the Hogwarts students.

"I'm hungry." I announced suddenly.

"Did you just get up?"

"Yeah, well Lily and I had to wait up all night for-" Lily elbowed me in the ribs.

"For what?" James asked.

"For umm a letter! Yeah. A letter." Oh, good one, Kara. Great cover. A letter. Oh, honestly. A letter?

"From who?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

"It doesn't matter." I said quickly. "It never came anyway." Just then there was a tapping on the window, and I saw my brother Mike's owl, Chocolate, waiting to be let in. I did so, took the letter from her leg, and read it as she perched on my shoulder.

'Hey Kara! I hope you like my Christmas present. I miss you so much, you should come home over Easter so I can see you! I've got you some Quidditch tickets in case you agree. Bring a couple of friends! Please say you'll come. I'm going CRAZY without you! Love, Mike'

I smiled. Mike was my favorite brother. I missed him too. I grabbed a piece of parchment and scrawled a reply.

'Dear Mikey, I'd love to come! See you at Easter time! I'll get back to you about the friends, and you tell me about arrangements closer to April! Oh yeah, I wanted to point out that you've always been crazy, and the fact that I'm so far away can't be causing it! I miss you more than you miss me! I love you! Kara'

Sirius was reading over my shoulder as I wrote. I noticed that funny look on his face again, like he wanted to rip my letter up. I fed Chocolate, tied my response to her leg, and closed the window behind her.

"Let's go to breakfast!" I said, walking out of the common room. Everyone followed me, except for Sirius and Lily.

~*Sirius POV*~

Kara got a letter from that Mike guy. Who was he? You decided to ask Lily again, although she hadn't known yesterday.

"Lily, you're sure you don't know who he is?" I asked once everyone else had left for the Great Hall.

"No. Maybe she met him this summer in the states?"

"Can you find out?"

"I can try. But I don't know why shed be dating anyone else Sirius. She likes you."

"I blew it. She must've written to this guy after the dance! I've ruined everything."

"Don't worry, Sir. You'll fix things. Eventually."

"I hope so."

"Me, too." With that Lily and I went to join the others for lunch.

~*Kara's POV*~

Lily and Sirius walked into the Great Hall, laughing. What was going on? Did Sirius like Lily? I ruined it when I said I wouldn't date him in the Hospital Wing! But what about his Christmas card? I was so confused. Lily sat down next to me.

"Lily, what's going on with you two?" I whispered.

"Who? Me and Sirius?"

"Yes you and Sirius! Who else?"

"It's nothing Kara. It's just-"

"WHAT!?!" Lily was interrupted by James yelling loudly. Everyone in the Great Hall (about 20 people or so) stopped what they were doing to turn and look at James. He sat down, unfazed with the attention. "You had sex Moony? And you didn't tell us?" Remus and Nat were very red, but both grinning like idiots.

"Guys, do you have to talk about this now?" I tried to help.

"Yes!" James, Peter, and Sirius all shouted at once.

"Ok, well then do it elsewhere." Surprisingly, they listened. Remus threw an apologetic look at Nat as his friends dragged him away.

"This is insane!" Nat complained to me and Lily. "It's our business, not theirs!" I snorted into my milk, and Lily laughed.

"Of course they're going to make it their business! They're guys, and Remus is the only one of them who isn't a virgin!"

"True." Nat relaxed.

"Who'd have thought that? The famous, admired Potter and Black asking their bookworm, Prefect friend what sex is like." I mused. Nat smiled. The three of us continued to talk for a few minutes and then we went back to the common room to do homework. (Lily's idea. Just because we CAN wait until the last day doesn't mean we're going to!)

~*Sirius POV*~

"So Moony, tell us about your night!" James was still trying to get details out of Remus by surprising it out of him and asking how his night was every two minutes. Remus acted like he hadn't heard James and continued talking to Peter.

"Guys, do any of you know who this Mike guy is? The one that's been writing to Kara?" My friends considered.

"Nope. I don't think she's mentioned anything to me."

"Me either. Ask Lily." James suggested.

"I did. She doesn't know either."

"Wow. Someone Lily doesn't know about. You may have some competition, Padfoot!"

"Thanks, James. I've really messed things up." I knew there was no way I could have left James to deal with Remus by himself, though. And we'd been getting along well since then. Hadn't we?

"No, I messed things up. You wouldn't have had to break your date if it wasn't for me." Remus said dejectedly.

"No, Moony. I did the right thing on Halloween. You guys needed me."

"You'll fix things eventually," Peter said encouragingly. He sounded like Lily.

"There is a way." Remus said. "You can tell her where you were." I looked at him. There was a determined look on his face.

"Remus I-"

"You can, Padfoot. I can trust Kara. Right? Tell her after Wednesday." Wednesday was the next full moon.

"You sure, Moony?" I wasn't. It was his secret. Such a big sacrifice to make so I could make things right with Kara.

"I'm sure." Would this work? Would Kara ditch her boyfriend when I explained myself? I didn't think so. She really seemed to like him. Laughing at his letters, signing hers with Love. At least one of us was happy.

"Hi, Sirius!" I heard. It was the voice of Kristin Anderson, a Hufflepuff in my year.

"Hi," I replied. What does she want? Kristin was pretty, but not like Kara. Kara was beautiful. And smart. Funny. Anyway Kristin was tall, with dark skin and even darker eyes. She had on a mini skirt, a sweater, and a pair of those high heels Kara hated so much. I hadn't even noticed that the Marauders had left. I began to walk away but Kristin grabbed your arm.

"Oh! Sirius! I was just wondering if you'd like to go on a walk with me!" She giggled. I debated. Not like I had anything better to do. Kara was probably writing to Mike…

"Sure." She giggled again. That was going to get annoying. I let her lead me around the castle as she talked a lot and giggled even more. I replied uh-huh or yeah every few minutes. My thoughts were still on Kara.

So when she kissed me, I didn't see it coming. She pushed me against a wall and began feeling my chest and arms. I kissed back feebly, thinking about how much it had hurt when she pushed me, and then about what I would do if this was Kara.

Kristin pulled away and giggled. Of course. Kara wouldn't have giggled. Kara would have-

"Sirius?" Kristin said.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go somewhere more private?" Giggle.

"Oh. No thanks. I have to go and-write a letter. Bye!" Ok. So Kara's excuse this morning didn't work any better now. But it was something. I left Kristin standing in the hallway alone. She wasn't giggling NOW! I thought happily.

But it bothered me that I'd kissed another girl. I felt like I'd betrayed Kara somehow. Well, she was probably doing the same thing with Mike, I thought bitterly. I needed to think.

So I headed for the perfect room to do that. Or anything else. The Room of Requirement. I just need someplace to think. I thought, and opened the door to find a cozy room with a fireplace and a butterbeer sitting on the mahogany coffee table. I sat on the cushy sofa and thought about the mess that was my love life, and how I'd ever sort it out.


	17. A Kiss

It was Wednesday. The New Year would arrive in three days, and two days after that, the students who went home for the holidays would return. But tonight was the full moon. I wondered whether or not I should help the Marauders.

I spent the day finishing up my homework and talking with Lily and Natalie. The boys stayed in their dorm all day, we didn't see them at all until they appeared just before twilight, only to make their exit. I made your decision.

"I'm going out." I told my friends as I left the common room. I transformed once I was out of the castle, and entered the Forbidden Forest. When I saw that Remus was becoming difficult for James and Sirius, I intervened.

I jumped out from the cover of the trees and pushed Remus off of James, who was bloody and limping. Remus growled at me and I was tackled to the ground. He bit and scratched until Sirius bit him, causing his attention to be diverted. Together Sirius and I began to push him towards the Whomping Willow but he was too much to handle.

I fell down when Remus bit one of my hind legs. James came up behind him and rammed him in the back, so Remus flailed over me and towards the passageway. Sirius, limping as I was, lured him inside. He scratched me across the face and I yelped. I could feel the warm blood trickling down my fur.

Another hour of hard work and we finally reached the Shrieking Shack. Remus was safe and I was too tired to make my way back to the school as I had last month. I collapsed beside the also exhausted Sirius and James, and Peter joined us a few moments later.

I slept until I heard the boys stirring in the morning. I stretched and yawned, still in my Animagus form. I watched as the guys transformed back into humans. They looked just as bad as last month. Remus looked worse. I heard Sirius telling Remus about me, and how I'd helped the last couple of months. Remus pet me appreciatively, and I wagged my tail.

When the boys started back through the tunnel I followed. I heard them evaluating the previous night's damage, and when Remus mentioned getting to the Hospital Wing and into bed, I realized I'd need medical treatment as well.

I began to run as fast as I could towards the castle, not listening to the Marauders shouts for me to wait. I burst into the Hospital Wing, now in human form. Madame Pomfrey fussed over me, pushing me into a bed immediately.

A few minutes later, the infamous foursome walked in. They were in hospital beds as fast as I had been. They didn't notice me, although me bed was right next to Sirius's. Madame Pomfrey paid special attention to Remus, and I realized she must've known about his being a werewolf.

I listened to them talk about that dog, meaning me, silently. They still hadn't been alerted to my presence, until Madame Pomfrey came over to you, holding a potion.

"Here, Miss O'Connell, take this for your headache."

"Thanks." I replied quietly, and I took drank the potion. I acted as though I didn't feel the eyes of the Marauders on me.

"Kara?" Sirius finally managed.

"Yeah?" I tried to act casual.

"What are you doing here?" I thought about this.

"I'm taking a nasty potion at the moment".

"Yeah. I noticed that. But what happened to your face? And your leg?"

"Ummm…long story?" Madame Pomfrey came back in with another batch of potions. She handed one to each of us, instructed you to drink, and bustled back out.

"Cheers!" James lifted his glass. We all drank, and we all grimaced. This potion tasted worse than the last one, but I could feel my cuts and scrapes begin to heal almost immediately. I lay back on your bed.

"What happened, Kara?" Sirius asked again.

"You tell me first." The Marauders looked at each other. Remus nodded.

"Well-"

"Wait, Padfoot. Maybe I should tell her." Remus interjected. "Well, Kara, you know how I get sick every month? Well when I was younger-"

"I know, Remus." I wasn't going to say anything, but it was too hard to see him looked so pained. I knew he didn't want to speak about this.

"You- what?" I decided that showing them would be better than telling them, so I quickly transformed into a dog and back. The Marauders were speechless, perhaps because their jaws were touching the ground.

"So you're the dog?" Remus asked.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I didn't say anything but-"

"Thank you." Remus cut me off.

"You're welcome". I smiled. I was silent for a while.

"You won't tell anyone, right?" Remus questioned.

"Of course not!"

"Ok. Thanks." I smiled again, and slowly drifted off to sleep. When I woke up, all of the Marauders had left except for Sirius.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey."

"I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Fire away!"

"This guy you've been writing to" he paused.

"Yeah?"

"Mike? Is he your boyfriend?" I laughed.

"What? He's not my boyfriend, Sirius."

"Do you want him to be?"

"I think that would be a little weird." I continued grinning.

"Why?"

"He's my brother". Sirius looked confused, and took a minute to work this out in his head.

"Oh." He said finally. He returned your smile. He was sitting in a chair beside my bed now; he was leaning in close, so I could smell his shampooed hair; our eyes locked; I leaned up to meet his lips…

"Sirius!" a female voice called. We jerked away from each other, and Kristin Anderson, a Hufflepuff I recognized from Herbology, walked in. She was a Barbie, superficial, giggled a lot. I disliked her with a passion. But when she came over and kissed Sirius, a kiss that should have been mine, and then led him away, telling him how absolutely *giggle* worried she was about him, I hated her.

~*Sirius POV*~

I could have killed Kristin for walking in then. I didn't even like her. I had just been too preoccupied to avoid her. And Kara looked so hurt. At the same time, I saw hate written on her face. For me? Or Kristin? Or both? I began to wonder if I'd be in that situation again with Kara. No problems, just my feelings for her, and the two of us alone, and no Barbies of misunderstandings-

"We can't see each other anymore, Sirius." Kristin was speaking.

"Excuse me?" I wondered what had taken her so long.

"I just kissed you, and you didnt even notice! You dont listen to anything I say, and- I dont know, you just seem to be in another world!" I am. Im in another world. One where Im happy. And with Kara. Not you. You giggle too much.

"See? Youre STILL not listening!" Kristin yelled, exasperated. With that, she walked away as fast as those 3 inch heels could carry her.

I looked around. I was still right outside the Hospital Wing. I was wondering if Kara had heard me and Kristin when she suddenly came out of the door and pushed past me. She had tears in her eyes.  
"Kara!" I called, but she didn't turn around. Frustrated, I punched the wall. A little too hard. I heard a crack and knew I'd just broken my hand. Figures. At least I was already at the Hospital Wing.


	18. Telling the Truth

~* Kara's POV*~

I was halfway back to the common room when I heard my name being called. Still crying, I stopped to let the owner of the voice catch up.

"What is it, James?" I asked, back still to him. He and Remus circled around to face me, and they were a little taken aback by the tears still falling freely.

"Well?" I didn't feel like talking. I just wanted to go to my dorm and read, to escape into someone else's problems.

"We were, ummm-"

"We just wanted to know if you'd like to help every month." Remus finished.

"Yeah. We could use you." James said.

"Sure." I told them, and kept walking. James and Remus were apparently going to the common room as well, because they stayed with me. They looked at each other, and then at me, and then back again, trying to decide whether or not to ask me what was wrong. Thankfully, I reached the Fat Lady before they came to a decision. I gave the password and went up to my dorm immediately. Unfortunately, Lily and Nat were there.

"Oh my God, Kara!"

"What happened?"

"Where were you?" I had forgotten that I hadn't come back last night.

"Where was I last night, or just now?"

"Last night?" Lily tried.

"It doesn't matter."

"How about just now?" Nat prodded. I stayed silent for a minute.

"I'm not sure that matters either." When I saw that my friends weren't going to let me leave it at that, I decided to tell them what had happened this morning.

"I was in the Hospital Wing."

"Why are you crying?" Lily was so blunt.

"Because I'm confused."

"About?"

"Let her tell her story, Lily!"

"Sorry."

"Because I'm confused about Sirius. I don't even know why I like him. He just hurts me."

"What did he do this morning?" Natalie asked gently.

"He almost kissed me." I admitted. Lily opened her mouth to say something, but was silenced by a look from Nat.

"He almost kissed you?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"His girlfriend walked in." Lily gasped.

"I didn't know he had a girlfriend." Nat said.

"Me either!"

"Obviously." Lily added. "That slimy, inconsiderate…" she proceeded to call Sirius names even worse that the ones she used for James. This made me feel a little better. Even so, I was angrier with Sirius then I'd ever been. How could he try to kiss me when he had a girlfriend? Especially a girlfriend I didn't like in the first place. I decided I wouldn't let it get to me. No guy was worth me being sad or depressed. Least of all Sirius Black.

I went to reach for your book on my nightstand. But it wasn't there. I realized I must have left it in the common room. So I went down to get it.  
The Marauders were there, talking quietly. They looked up when I appeared and were silent. I could feel Sirius' eyes on me but I looked straight ahead as I picked my book up from a table and went back up to my dorm.

~*Sirius' POV*~

I went back to the common room, my hand as good as new. Now my heart was the only thing that felt like it had been smashed against a wall. I couldn't even imagine how Kara must feel.  
James, Remus, and Peter were waiting when I climbed through the portrait hole.

"What happened to Kara?" Peter asked. I told my friends the story, up until Kristin dragged me out of the Hospital Wing.

"I didn't know you had a girlfriend, Padfoot." James sounded injured.

"Don't feel bad, Prongs. I didn't either."

"What?"

"She must've asked me when I wasn't listening."

"Why weren't you listening?"

"Because of the giggle?" Remus asked.

"I don't know. Maybe she asked right before she kissed me the other day."

"You don't know this? What were you doing?"

"Thinking about Kara." I admitted bitterly.  
I slouched in your maroon armchair.

"So now you have a girlfriend, and Kara knows this and hates you?"

"Well, I think she broke up with me."

"You THINK?"

"Yeah. She said we couldn't see each other anymore. I think she said I didn't listen to her, but I don't know. I wasn't listening." Remus smiled at the irony. James continued the interrogation.

"Why weren't you listening?"

"When?" He sighed.

"When she said you didn't listen." Remus was now trying hard not to laugh. I didn't see what was so funny. I glared at him, and the smirk disappeared from his face. Almost.

"What?" I'd forgotten the question.

"I see why she broke up with you!" James threw up his hands. Nevertheless, he repeated the question.

"I was thinking about Kara." I answered truthfully.

"I don't get it." James confessed.

"Don't get what?"

"You two." You obviously like her, and she liked you until about twenty minutes ago."

"Yeah?"

"So why weren't you going out?"

"She didn't trust me after the Halloween dance."

"But she must've forgiven you last month when she figured out about Remus." He had a point. Kara was smart. She would have known that Halloween was a full moon.

"I guess so."

"So-" but James stopped abruptly as Kara descended the stairs. I willed her to look at me, but she didn't. I would have called out to her, but I'd already had one broken bone today.

I buried my head in my hands. This was a mess.

~*Kara's POV*~

A week had passed since I had spoken to Sirius. He didn't try to talk to me, either. Classes began again today. And first thing was Ancient Runes with Sirius. Lucky me. It's not like I was really trying not to talk to him, I just didn't have anything to say. I was just glad I hadn't kissed him.

I ate breakfast with Nat, Lily, and the Marauders, not really speaking. When I finished my meal I headed to my class alone. Sirius came in a few minutes later and sat next to me. It figured we had assigned seats. The professor came in and taught. I took notes. Sirius doodled on his parchment. I left the room immediately after class. Lunch was much the same as breakfast. I kept quiet and let the conversation go on around me.

My afternoon class, transfiguration, was a little better. Although Sirius was in it, so were the rest of my friends. McGonagall did yell at me once for letting my cockroach, which I was supposed to be transfiguring into a teacup, walk away.

I didn't even notice until it crawled up James' neck, causing him to jump up, scream like a girl, and squish both my cockroach and his.

"Sorry," I muttered as we both went up to McGonagall's desk for new bugs.

"That's alright. You just gave me a fright."

"I could tell." We both laughed. With a final smile, we both walked back to our desks. It was nice to know the rest of the Marauders, who I'd come to depend on as friends, weren't going to stay away just because of Sirius.  
Later that evening I posted a notice on the bulletin board. Quidditch practice would begin again the following night and go three days a week. Gryffindor had won its first match against Ravenclaw, but Slytherin was our next opponent.

I studied with Remus for a Care of Magical Creatures test we had on Wednesday morning. It was on identifying werewolves and treating their bites. Natalie didn't understand why I'd asked Remus over Lily, who excelled in COMC.

I couldn't answer without revealing things I shouldn't, so I just shrugged.  
But when the common room was almost empty, I asked Remus why he hadn't told Natalie.

"So she can be scared and disgusted with me?"

"Remus, she really likes you."

"As long as she doesn't know what I am."

"She knows who you are. Remus Lupin, 6th year Gryffindor, Prefect, sweet, caring, smart. Remus, she won't care."

"I don't' know, Kara."

"Don't you owe it to her? You are sleeping with her." Remus turned red.

"Are you sure? I'd love to be able to tell her. But I don't want to lose her. I love her." I smiled.

"Unless we're talking about a Natalie Martin that I don't know, she won't' care, Remie."

"Ok." Remus nodded. We studied side by side in silence for a few minutes before going up to bed.  
The next morning, Nat got a letter at breakfast.

"Remus wants me to meet him in the Room of Requirement tonight." Nat whispered.

"I wonder what he wants!" Lily mused. I was silent. I really hoped I was right about Remus telling Natalie. My fears were abolished, however, during DADA. The professor led a discussion about the treatment of half breeds and part humans, including werewolves. Natalie raised her hand to contribute to the discussion. Remus was holding his breath.

"Werewolves and other part humans are different…" Remus slumped down in his seat. The professor was watching him, making sure he was ok to hear the rest of this.  
"…but that doesn't mean we shouldn't treat them equally. They should be judged on how they act all the time, not the one night a month they become something else. It's not their fault." Remus was sitting up again, looking radiant.

"Breathe, Remie." I reminded him.

"Oh. Right. Thanks."

"No problem. Good luck tonight."

"Thanks."

At 7 o'clock, Natalie left for the Room of Requirement. I gave her a small smile, and hoped she'd stand by the opinions she'd voiced in class.

~*Nat's POV*~

I arrived at the Room of Requirement, and Remus was already waiting inside, in a small room with a fireplace. He looked so gorgeous with the flames' light flickering on his face and in those amber eyes I loved to get lost in. He looked grave. I wondered what was wrong.

"Hi, Remus."

"Hey. Sit down." I did, next to him.

"What is it?" He looked into my eyes. God, I loved him.

"Natalie, I don't know how to tell you this, but- I'm a werewolf." I thought he was joking. But I could tell he wasn't.

"Oh." I realized I didn't care. I had meant what I said in DADA. And here was living proof. Smart, sweet, kind Remus was a werewolf. I realized that he was looking for a little more in the response department.

"Can you help me with my DADA essay?"

"You mean you don't mind?"

"Mind? Remus, I love you. This doesn't change anything." I hugged him.

"I love you too, Natalie." He kissed me softly. I deepened it, and I was soon on the floor of the cozy room, with my werewolf boyfriend…


	19. Grilling Mia

The second week of January. Still no communication with Sirius. I was sitting in the library with Lily before dinner when Landon Bridges, a Ravenclaw, approached you.

"Hey, Landon!" We'd been friends since third year when I'd accidentally spilled some very acidic sap all over him. Herbology wasn't my strong point.

"Hey, Kara." Landon was the Keeper on the Ravenclaw team. He was about 6 feet tall, with dark brown hair and eyes that matched. He was muscular, and had a fair amount of girls trying to strike his fancy.

"Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me some time."

"Like a date?" We both smiled.

"Yeah, like a date".

"Okay."

"Does Friday work for you?"

"Yes it does."

"Ok. Meet me in the Room of Requirement at 6?"

"I'll see you there!"

"Great". Landon walked away. Lily smiled at me.

"So, a date with Landon, eh?"

"Yeah."

"I didn't know you liked him."

"I never said I didn't."

"This is true." I packed up my books and exited the library. Sirius was outside, surrounded by Barbies. I just walked by.

It was Wednesday. I had two days before my date. Lily insisted that I (meaning her) picked out my outfit now. She decided on dark blue jeans and a plain black t shirt.

We went down to dinner together, arriving outside the Great Hall just in time to see Sirius making out with a girl I didn't know. He probably didn't know her either. I tried to tell myself that it didn't matter; I wasn't even speaking to him anymore. But it still hurt, and I was now even happier I'd agreed to Landon's offer.

Sirius came into the Great Hall a few minutes later, hand in hand with that girl. She sat down next to me, Sirius on the other side of her.

"Hey guys." Sirius greeted. "This is Mia Rosenberg."

"Hi everyone!" She was happy. I coughed. He perfume was overpowering. Lily seemed to think this was funny, as she was safe from the smell on the other side of me. She laughed. I glared and she stopped.

"So Mia, what House are you in?" Lily just had to be so nice to everybody.

"I'm in Ravenclaw."

"Oh. So is Kara's boyfriend." Sirius choked on his water. I loved Lily Evans.

"Kara's boyfriend?" James repeated.

"Yeah. Landon Bridges. The Ravenclaw Keeper."

"Really?"

"Yeah." I confirmed.

"Oh." James glanced at Sirius, who was just looking at his plate.

"Siri, baby, why don't you eat something? You've got to keep up your strength. For later." She winked at him but he still wasn't looking.

"What are we doing later?" he asked. I knew he'd understood.

"You know."

"Nope". Mia looked a little flustered. James piped up.

"Oh yeah! I get it!" she was relieved. "She wants you to have enough energy for our little prank on Snivelly later." I snorted into my milk, earning a glare from Mia and a secretive smile from James. So he understood. I was willing to give Sirius another chance, I just needed some time to cool down. He winked and turned back to bothering Mia for me.

"So, you're in 6th year, Mia?"

"5th."

"Oh. A younger lady, Padfoot! Very nice." He winked overdramatically. I was going to get him a really good birthday present.

"Do you know what you want to do when you get out of school, Mia?" Nat asked.

"No. Not yet." I could tell she was happy Nat had cut in.

"You don't want children?" I loved James Potter so much.

"Well, I don't think so. I don't like kids."

"Sirius loves kids! Don't you, Padfoot?" Sirius was glaring daggers at James.

"Yeah. Yeah I like kids." He said through gritted teeth.

"What? I'm only trying to be nice to your gorgeous lady friend!" James defended himself.

"Lets' get out of here, Mia."

"Ok, Siri."

"You think she's too stupid to remember his full name?" Remus asked when they were gone. I smiled. When the two of them got up from the table, I went too.

"Thanks, guys."

"Hey, it's for both of you". James said.

"But mostly for you." Remus interjected. "He shouldn't have done that to you, Kara, even though it was unintentional." As he said this Lily, Nat, and Peter exited the Hall and joined me.

We all walked back to the common room together. I was almost finished with my homework when Sirius finally came in. I acted like he wasn't there and continued with my Transfiguration homework

"James, can I talk to you?" Sirius looked angry.

"Sure, Padfoot, what is it?"

"Oh, you'll see." With a worried glance at Remus, James followed Sirius back out of the portrait hole. Five minutes later Sirius reentered the common room alone.

"Where's James?"

"He'll be back shortly. Maybe." Sirius went up to the boy's dorm.

"Help!" James muffled cry came from a short distance away. Remus and I got up and went to find him. He was two hallways away, with about thirty girls surrounding him.

"Excuse me!" I shouted, parting the crowd. I linked my fingers with James's and kissed him on the cheek. "Hey, baby. I missed you." The girls began to disperse. Works every time.

"Thanks Kara."

"What did he do?"

"He told them all that I was looking for a date to the next Hogsmeade weekend, and that I'd be here at 7 o'clock to make my choice." Remus and I laughed.

"Poor Jamsie." I ruffled his hair.

"It's not funny. They're psycho! One girl gave me her bra and said I'd get to see more of her undergarments if I chose her." He shuddered.

"What color was the bra?" I asked.

"It was-what?"

"Joking."

"Oh." I headed back to the common room, and James charged up the boys' staircase. There was banging and shouting and other sound effects. The two emerged twenty minutes later, with black eyes and arms.

"Well, that's settled, then."

"Yeah." James and Sirius shook hands on the way to the Hospital Wing. Boys were so weird. I took my stuff up to the dorm. Lily was filling Nat in on my date with Landon.

"Hey guys."

"Hey, Kar. So, Landon Bridges? Quite the catch. Although not as fine as our darling Sirius."

"He's not ours. And I don't want him to be. I don't want anything to do with him."

"Ok." Lily said skeptically.

"What do you mean?"

"I agreed with you."

"No. You were sarcastic. I don't want to talk to or even about Sirius Black."

"Alright."

"Good." Now that that was settled. "I'm going to shower."

"You do that." Lily said.

"I will." I went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, and got into my pajamas. They were my flannel pants and a cami. I loved to be comfy. Nat and Lily weren't in the dorm so I went down to the common room to find them.

Sure enough they were sitting by the fire with Peter and Remus. James and Sirius were nowhere in sight. Nat was on Remus lap; they looked so perfect together. Even more so since Remus had told Natalie that he was a werewolf. They continued to sneak off together often. I was glad they were happy.

"Hey Kara!" Nat greeted.

"Hey!"

"So, how's it goin'"

"Just peachy, thanks."

"Still in a bad mood?"

"I'm not in a bad mood. And I wasn't before either. Maybe if you didn't-" I stopped myself. "Ok, maybe I'm in a bad mood. It happens to everyone."

"Yeah. I noticed that too." Peter joked.

"Haha." I made a face at him. He smiled and stuck his tongue out at me. I did the same. This continued, the others watching in amusement, for a couple of minutes. The faces got stranger. Then Sirius and James walked in and sat down. The laughter and face making stopped.

"So all patched up, boys?" Lily asked with amusement in her voice.

"Yeah."

"I wish girls could just beat the crap out of each other and move on. But no, they've got to make it difficult and hold a grudge and gossip and get into catfights and date each other's exes and-"

"Lily, that's enough."

"Since when is she Lily?"

"Since I decided to call her Lily."

"Ok. You're still Potter though, right?"

"Yeah." Nat and James fell silent.

"Girls are mean." Remus said a moment later, quite randomly.

"Huh?"

"No, just thinking. Lily was right. They're so-girly."

"Ya think?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I do." He ignored my sarcasm.

"Girls tend to overreact." Sirius added.

"They do not." I directed this at Remus.

"Ok." He said.

"Well, Remus, I think girls do overreact, and they don't understand when people make mistakes."

"They do to. Guys are just incredibly stupid and do things to make them mad without even thinking. Not like it's their fault they have little brains."

"I am a guy you know, Kara." Remus said.

"Yes but you're a nice guy. That's very rare. Congratulations."

"Thank you. Do I get a trophy?"

"Not sure, but I can ask the Girls Who Like Nice Guys and Want To Give Them Trophies Foundation. They can bring it to the president."

"You get back to me on that one."

"I will!" I got up from the couch and headed upstairs for bed.


	20. Kerry Slots

The full moon would occur in five days. Sirius and I had ignored each other since that night in the common room. He had dumped Mia, and moved onto Kerry. She was even worse than Mia. Besides the mounds of makeup and the stuffed bra, she disliked me immensely. I wasn't sure why. But the first time Sirius had brought her to dinner with us, it wasn't pretty.

~*FLASHBACK*~

"Hey everyone! This is Kerry Slots."

"Hi!" She sat down too close to me, pushing me over into James, who dropped the juice he was drinking all over the both of us.

"Oops." She was a little clumsy, I guessed. I thought the same thing when she laughed so hard at a joke Remus told that she spit in my food. I brushed it off as an accident when she kicked me under the table- twice. And when she said,

"The only girls who play Quidditch are the kind who can't get a man's attention any other way." I figured she was just making conversation. But when she poured water over my white uniform ('accidentally') blouse and said,

"Don't worry, it's not like anyone's looking." It was too far. I got up, called,

"Nice meeting you, Kerry!" and exited the Great Hall. Nat and Remus followed.

"What was that about?" Nat asked.

"Did you do something to her?"

"I've never even met her before."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well then that was strange."

"I have to go change my shirt."

"Why?" Remus asked. I pointed to your see through shirt. Remus pointed his wand at it and muttered something, drying my shirt immediately.

"Oh yeah! Thanks Remie!"

"No problem." I continued on to the common room.

~* FLASHBACK OVER*~

That had been two days ago. They weren't dating anymore.

Instead, there had been a myriad of stupid pranks on Filch, Slytherins, and anyone else who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Marauders were so busy I barely saw them.

I sighed and exited Gryffindor Tower, on my way to an early, hopefully peaceful, breakfast. I had no such luck.

Landon came to sit down next to me, and at the same time Sirius sat down across from us. I had been dating Landon since our first dinner in the Room of Requirement. He'd been so sweet. He had given me a single red rose, and we'd talked about Quidditch, and school, and other things. The Room of Requirement looked beautiful, like a little Italian restaurant. He didn't even try to kiss me, which I was glad of. I had seen him a few more times, and he also hung out with me, Nat, and Lily. He was funnier than I thought, but not like the Marauders. Still, I liked Landon. I liked getting to know him.

"Morning, Kara."

"Morning Landon."

"How are you this morning?"

"Alright. You?"

"Good." Sirius continued to eat silently.

"Will you meet me in the library before dinner?"

"Sure. Why?"

"You'll see." He didn't know that I hated surprises. Oh well. I felt someone's eyes on me, and I looked up to see Sirius quickly look away. What was that about? I wondered if I had food stuck in my teeth. I decided it didn't matter, and continued with my meal.

The tension was so thick I could have cut it with my knife. Landon and Sirius kept glaring at each other across the table. I pretended to be oblivious.

I was grateful when James and Lily joined us at the table. Lily raised her eyebrows and James gave Sirius a puzzled look. We both shook our heads at the same time. The day passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to meet Landon in the library. To my surprise he was waiting outside.

When I reached him, he pulled me into in an unused classroom and pressed me against a wall. He hesitated, to make sure this was okay with me. I nodded, and he leaned in and kissed me. I kissed back, though not as forcefully. He was a little eager. Hs hands were on the small of my back; I put mine on his arms. I came up for a breath but he stuck his tongue in my mouth. I almost choked. He pulled away after a few minutes and smiled at me. I hoped my smile was genuine.

So the guy wasn't the best kisser; at least he didn't try to kiss me when he had a girlfriend. We walked to dinner together, parting so I could go to my House table and him to his.

"What did he want to tell you?" Natalie asked.

"Nothing."

"Well then-"

"I'll tell you guys later."

"Ok."

"Your hairs a little messed up," Lily told me, and then a look of enlightenment took over her face. "Oh..." I blushed. Sirius looked at me, and then looked away and scowled. I ate my dinner quickly and excused yourself from the table. Lily came after me.

"Sorry, Kara."

"Oh, no problem, Lily."

"So is he a good kisser?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"No."

"That sucks. What did he do?"

"He took me into an unused classroom, pushed me up against a wall and kissed me. And then when I tried to take a breath he stuck his tongue down my throat."

"Gross."

"Yeah." There was movement behind me. I didn't need to look to know that it was Sirius. So he'd heard what I said about Landon. Maybe if I ever spoke to him again he'd tease me about it. Well, those girls couldn't have been too great, or else he wouldn't have dumped them. Not necessarily. Oh good. Now I was talking to myself again. Best see what I have to say, then. What do I mean? Maybe he actually likes me, and he's jealous of Landon. Jealous? Why? He's hotter, funnier, and- meaner, than Landon!. Serves him right if he's jealous! I know I want him to be. No. Okay yes, but do we need to bring that up? I hate him! I love him. I like him. There. I compromised with myself. Myselves? I was confused. I finished my homework quickly and went to bed.

It was now Easter break. Me, Lily, and Nat boarded the Hogwarts Express, which would take us back to Kings Cross Station. James and Peter came to see us off, Remus wasn't feeling well. The full moon had been a rough one a few nights ago, and he still looked terrible. I felt bad for him.

We all played Wizards Chess on the train, and laughed happily as we exchanged jokes. I was getting excited as we got closer to Platform 93/4 . Mike was picking us up, and I couldn't wait to see him. I ran off the train and found Mike immediately. He was tall, with dark hair and dark eyes. The girls who were leaving for vacation were staring at him with as much longing as they stared at Sirius.

"Mikey!" I gave him a hug. He swung me around, laughing.

"Hey, Kara!"

"I missed you!"

"I missed you back!" Nat and Lily had come up behind us. Nat had a friendly smile on her face, but Lily was looking at my brother like he was God.

"Mike, this is Natalie Martin, and this is Lily Evans."

"Nice to meet you." They both greeted.

"Hey, girls! Ill grab your trunks for you, at least until we get off the platform. Locomotor trunks." He said, and all three of our trunks levitated next to him. Once at the barrier, he gave mine and Nat's back, keeping Lily's to carry himself.

"Thanks, Mike." She said shyly.

"No problem, Lily." I almost laughed out loud. Lily and Mike, flirting. I wondered what James would say.  
We all chatted with Mike as he led us to an empty field. I told him about my term, and he told me about his last couple of games. He held out a necklace suddenly.

"Ok, everyone grab on at the same time." We did as we were told, and I felt my stomach being pulled away, followed by the rest of my body. We landed on my front lawn in Southbury, Connecticut. The house was small considering 8 people had lived in it at one point. It was white with dark blue shutters, and there were Morning Glories wrapped around the white picket fence that surrounded the backyard. There were also pansies (my favorite flower) and tulips.

"Welcome to my house, guys!"

"Wow, Kara. I love it!" Nat exclaimed.

"It's so pretty." Lily added.

"I'm glad you like it. Come on, let's go inside!"


	21. Landon Bridges Falling Down

I entered my house, and found no one was home.

"Mike, where is everybody?"

"Work," came his answer from the kitchen.

"Oh yeah." He came into the hallway where we were standing with our trunks. He bewitched them once again and brought them up the stairs to my room. I entered after him and smiled. This was home, not my mom's house in England. The walls were my favorite color, with pictures of me and my friends, both American and British, Magic and Muggle. That was the thing that stood out most in my room, and the rest of the house. It looked completely like a Muggle house. It even had electricity and a washing machine. Here in the states the magical community was so integrated into the Muggle one that we couldn't keep to ourselves. In fact most of my American friends were Muggles. Including Megann Brennan, who lived next door and was my best friend in Connecticut. I couldn't wait to see her.

Apparently she was thinking the same about me, because just then a brown haired object hugged me from behind, tackling me to the bed.

"Kara!" she screeched, getting off of me.

"Megann!" I hugged her again.

"These are my friends, Nat and Lily." I introduced. "Guys, this is Megann."

"Hi!"

"So, you guys go to school with Kara?"

"Yes, we do."

"I don't think I'd like boarding school. But Kara loves it."

"I like it as well." Lily said.

"I know what her favorite part is…" Natalie said slyly.

"What's that?" Megann asked.

"The boys. Especially this one, who's madly in love with her. His name's James Po-" Nat was cut short as Lily had slammed her in the face with a pillow. The rest of us laughed. I was glad my friends liked each other. The 4 of us continued to talk all afternoon, me and Megann catching up and Nat and Lily throwing in their comments about the incidents I described.

Around dinner time, my dad got home from work. He entered my room, where Lily was braiding Megann's hair and I was teaching Nat poker, a Muggle card game. Megann had taught me a few years ago.

"Hey girls!" my father greeted.

"Daddy!" I ran over and gave him a hug. We were very close, and I hadn't seen him since summer.

"Hey, Kar Bear." my dad used the nickname he'd given me at birth. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, dad!" I introduced Nat and Lily to my dad. He was tall, jolly, and very friendly to everyone. Unless provoked, that is. People always said I looked like my mom but behaved like my dad.

The vacation flew by, and before we knew it, we were back at Hogwarts.  
The first night at dinner, I was talking to Remus about our break, when I heard Natalie say,

"Jeez, Sirius, look at that girl staring at you. It looks like Lily staring at Kara's brother." Lily blushed. After she had giggled and blushed a little too much around my brother, me and Nat had gotten her to admit she liked him.

"Who?" James asked, angry and hurt.

"None of your business, Potter." Lily said, although without the usual venom in her voice.

"Fine." James got up and left the Great Hall, followed by Sirius and Peter. The rest of us went up to the common room a few minutes later.

~* 1 Month Later! *~

It was now the middle of May. Sirius had gone out with a handful of slu- I mean, girls. I was still dating Landon. He was, however, getting on my nerves. He was overprotective, dull now that I'd heard all of his jokes, and his kissing hadn't improved. Srius and I still weren't speaking, but the silence was no longer hostile. Neither of us wanted to be the one to break the silence. I often caught him looking at me, only to have him glance away when I looked up. I found myself doing the same thing. He hadn't had a girlfriend since Marissa Melia, over three weeks ago.

I also began to notice the adorable way his hair fell in his face as he took notes in Ancient Runes, and how nice his toned arm muscles looked during Quidditch practice. And even though my head told me to stay as far away from Sirius Black as possible, the rest of me wanted to be close to him, laugh and joke with me again, to be his friend again. Or more, eventually. I didn't think he felt the same, so I acted like nothing had changed. But I really missed ol' Snuffles. Unfortunately, Sirius was as stubborn as me.

I made an important decision. I was going to break up with Landon. Even if I had no chance with Sirius, it wasn't fair to lead him on. Plus, he was boring and made me choke on his tongue. After breakfast, I went looking for him, but he found me first.

"Kara!"

"Hey, Landon. Listen, we need to talk." I led him aside, but before I could open my mouth to speak he did.

"Kara, I need to tell you something as well. I like you and all, but it's just not working. I think we should see other people." That was the easiest time dumping a guy I'd ever had. But I pretended to be a little hurt.

"Oh. Ok." Landon gave me a sympathetic smile and walked away. I couldn't help it any longer; I pumped my fists in the air and began a rather silly looking victory dance.

"What are you doing, Kara?" James emerged from the Great Hall.

"Dancing."

"I could see that. Why?"

"Landon broke up with me." I grabbed James and dipped him.

"This makes you happy?"

"So happy!" I spun him around and began to do the tango.

"Ok. Well I'm really happy for you, but could you stop dancing with me?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Yeah. Sorry." I let go of James and skipped all the way to Care of Magical Creatures.

I told Nat and Lily what had happened just as the professor began the lesson.

"Miss, O'Connell, will you kindly stay after class for a moment? I'd like a word." he said as I was packing up my books.

"I'll see you guys at lunch." Lily and Nat headed back towards the castle with the Marauders and the rest of the class.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I just wanted to compliment you on your outstanding performance on your last test. Your essay on hinkypunks was quite insightful."

"Thank you, sir."

"I also wanted to inquire whether you'd ever thought of a career in the area of magical creatures?"

"Well, not really, sir. I'm not quite sure what I'd like to do yet, but I would like being an Auror."

"Well, if you ever change your mind, there are many options available to a student as bright as

you are."

"Thank you, professor." I smiled as I walked away.

I was almost to the Great Hall when I felt a pair of strong arms grab me, around the waist and mouth, preventing me from screaming.

"Silencio" the person muttered, and took his hand away. I still couldn't make a sound.  
My abductor pushed me behind a tapestry, and I came face to face with Regulus Black.

"Hello, Kara. We haven't spoken for quite some time." He began to run his hands up and down my legs. "I've noticed you've stopped talking to that dirty blood traitor." His hands wandered up to my butt, and he squeezed it. I squirmed but he was strong, and I was once again forced into the wall. "I know you've always wanted this." His hands slipped up my shirt and I gasped silently. "I have, too. You're a very attractive girl, you know…" He massaged my boobs. "for a Mudblood lover." He pressed his mouth against mine, and I turned my head. "That wasn't very nice, O'Connell. Let's try again." His hands pushed into my boobs harder, and he pushed against my lips again, this time so hard I had nowhere to move. "Now, let's have a little more fun…" his fingers traced their way down to the top of my uniform skirt.

I couldn't move. No matter how hard I tried to get away, he was always ready for me, pulling me back into his poisonous touch. He was playing with the button of my skirt and kissing my neck. I had begun to cry a few tears. He slipped one hand up my skirt…

"Get the hell away from her, Regulus." said a voice shaking with hatred and rage. Regulus turned around to face his older brother.

"Or what, you nasty little blood traitor? You'll set that git Potter after me?" He laughed and turned back around to face me. Sirius put an arm on his shoulder and yanked him away from me.

"No. I'll do this." He punched Regulus in the face, and then again in the stomach. I watched, shaking slightly, trying to take deep breaths. Regulus took out his wand and was about to mouth a spell, but Sirius kicked his wand out of his hand. He pointed his wand at Regulus.

"Get away from here now, you fucking pervert. And don't you ever come near her again, or I will hex you so bad you'll need a new hairstyle by the time you wake up." Regulus glared at Sirius. Then he turned and winked at me. I gave him the finger and he scowled and walked away.

"On my God, Kara are you okay?" Sirius rushed over to me. I nodded, still unable to talk.

"You should get to the Hospital Wing." I shook my head, and then pointed at my voice box. "What? Oh." Sirius said the countercurse and I immediately flung my arms around him. He tensed for a quick moment, but then he wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Thanks, Sirius."

"No, it was nothing. Are you sure you're alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No. At least not permanently." I gave a small smile.

"I'm going to kill that little-"

"No."

"Why not? I can't believe him. No, the worst part is I can."

"I don't want you to get in trouble for me."

"What?"

"I want you to get in trouble with me."

"Huh?"

"If you're going to get him back I'm going to help." Sirius looked at me, puzzled, and then  
smiled.

"Alright." I stood in the hallway for a moment, silent, and then he brought up his hand and gently wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes.

"Sirius-"

"I'm so sorry, Kara. For the whole Hospital Wing thing. It was so stupid of me."

"It's ok. I forgive you."

"Good." He looked relieved. "I've missed talking with you, O'Connell." He punched my arm playfully.

"Same here, Snuffles." I gave him another hug. He tensed again before reacting. "Is there something wrong with my hugging you?" I asked.

"No, no. It's just, no one's ever hugged me before. Unless they were trying to get in my pants."

"Sorry to disappoint, Sirius, but I have no desire to get in your pants."

"No. It was just different. Not bad. And I wouldn't want you in my pants." I giggled, and then asked,

"So, can I hug you again?"

"I would like that." I did, and this time he wrapped his strong arms around me immediately, pulling me off the ground and spinning me around. I laughed. He put me down, and I had a sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss him. But I didn't. We had just worked things out. Sirius and I were about to enter the Great Hall when I stopped him.

"Sirius?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you not tell anyone about this? I mean, the Regulus thing."

"Of course I won't say anything if you don't want me to."

"Thanks."

"Any time, my friend." We smiled at each other, and entered the Great Hall.


	22. I'm A Little Teapot

Sirius and I walked over to where our friends were and sat down next to each other.

"Are you talking to one another?" Lily asked.

"Yes." we said simultaneously.

"Really? That's so great, you two!"

"Gee. Thanks, Lil." Sirius said.

"So how did this come about?" Remus questioned.

"We just umm…"

"We realized were just being stupid." Sirius finished.

"Okay then," Remus was unconvinced. I didn't care.

That night while I was doing your homework with Nat, Sirius asked to speak with me. I followed him into a corner of the common room. I could feel the eyes of every girl in the room on me.

"I've got an idea on how to get back at my brother."

"Do tell, Mr. Black." He smiled before continuing on.

"I say we nick some of that Veritaserum from the Potions storeroom and feed it to Regulus during dinner, and then we can ask him personal questions."

"That's good, Snuff, but I've got a better idea." I whispered this plan into his ear. When I pulled away he had a strange look on his face. Admiration?

"That's good." He said, and the two of us set to work planning.

It was two days later when we commenced the attack. It was dinner time, and we waited anxiously for Regulus to take a sip of his pumpkin juice. He finally did, and began to float above the Slytherin table. Before most people even noticed, Sirius said a quiet spell, and Regulus began to sing "I'm a Little Teapot." quite loudly. This got everyone's attention. People were starting to giggle when I created a breeze with my wand, causing Regulus' robes to fly up, revealing boxers that said 'I Love Men', and changed to 'Snape and Malfoy are my Sugar Daddies'. The entire Hall, with the exception of the Slytherins and the teachers, was roaring with laughter. I was about to turn around and give Sirius a high five, but I saw Professor McGonagall coming towards us, looking most displeased.

"Black, Potter! This is despicable! How could you-"

"I didn't do this, Professor." James said. She gave him an incredulous look.

"I did, Professor." I admitted.

"Miss O'Connell? I expected more from you!"

"I helped." Sirius added. She didn't look surprised at this.

"Why would you do a thing like this?"

"He was-"

"I was just bored, Professor." I cut Sirius off. Better to take the punishment than have the entire school talking.

"Bored? Miss O'Connell, Mr. Black, follow me." Regulus was still singing as Professor McGonagall led us out of the Great Hall.

"That was brilliant, Kara." Sirius whispered to me.

"Nah." McGonagall stopped in front of a stone gargoyle.

"Fizzing Whizbees." The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a staircase, with a door at the top. McGonagall knocked three times on the door.

"Come in." Came Dumbledore's voice from within. McGonagall opened the door and the three of us entered the office.

"Mr. Black, Miss O'Connell. Please, sit down." Professor McGonagall stood just inside the door.

"Young Mr. Black will be joining us in a moment, as soon as someone can get him to stop singing!" There was a twinkle in his eyes. "If you would please tell me your side of the story."

"Well, Kara came up to me yesterday and said that she was bored, and wanted to help me play a prank on someone. So I said alright and we just- worked that out."

"I was under the impression that you and Miss O'Connell weren't speaking." That one stumped Sirius.

"Um.."

"Would you like to tell me what actually happened, Miss O'Connell?"

"Not really, sir." Sirius and Professor M. looked surprised, but Dumbledore just smiled.

"Very well. Lemon drop?" He held out a bowl of Muggle candies.

"Thank you." I took one. Just as I was finishing it, there was a knock at the door, and Regulus and Professor Flitwick entered.

"Here he is, Professor. I've only just got him to stop singing. Catchy little tune that was, though." Professor Flitwick left the office, humming "I'm a Little Teapot." I stifled a laugh behind my hand.

"Please, sit, Mr. Black." Regulus sat in the vacant chair next to Sirius.

"If you could please tell me why you think your brother and Miss O'Connell did this?"

"I'm really not sure, Professor. Not like I've done anything to them." Sirius snorted, and Regulus glared at him, then continued on. "It was quite a rotten thing to do, though, Professor."

"More rotten than raping Kara?" Sirius burst out. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. He couldn't keep quiet for one minute.

Professor Dumbledore looked surprised, and the warmth in his eyes diminished.

"Is this true, Miss O'Connell?"

"Not exactly, Professor."

"Close enough." Sirius argued.

"Can't you ever keep your mouth shut?" I asked him, aggravated.

"I don't know why you kept yours shut in the first place!"

"That's none of your damn business!"

"Yes it is!"

"Why?"

"Because-" Sirius fell silent.

"I don't know what they're talking about, sir." Regulus tried to sound innocent. Dumbledore looked straight into his eyes.

"Are you sure, Mr. Black?" Regulus dropped his gaze and didn't say anything.

"Minerva, of you would please escort young Mr. Black to your office? You may punish him as you see fit." Professor McGonagall and Regulus left the room.

"Are you alright, Miss O'Connell?"

"Yes, Professor."

"You are very lucky Mr. Black came along when he did."

"I know." I gave Sirius a grateful smile.

"I understand you do not want people to know about this. So long as you and the Black brothers say nothing, no one will know."

"Thank you, sir."

"A word of wisdom. Do not let small things come between friends. The wizarding world is on the brink of a dark and dangerous time. You will need those you can trust." He was silent for a moment as the words sunk in for me and Sirius. Then he stated,

"You shall not be punished for this prank." He got up and opened the door for us. I heard him whisper, "The underpants were quite clever." he winked, and then closed the office door behind us.

Sirius and I walked in silence for awhile, until Sirius said,

"I'm really sorry, Kara. For saying anything. I know you didn't want me to."

"It's alright, Sirius. It all worked out ok." I gave him a smile and continued on to the common room, thinking about Dumbledore's warning. I wondered if the 'dark and dangerous time' had to do with Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who was fast gaining followers. My thoughts were interrupted when we entered the portrait hole.

Our friends were all waiting expectantly for us to tell them what had happened.

"You pulled a prank that great without us, Padfoot?"

"Well, it was Kara's idea." Everyone looked at me. I just shrugged and collapsed on the couch beside Sirius.

"Why did you want to prank Regulus?" Remus asked.

"I was just looking for something to do." Nat and Remus exchanged glances. Lily looked disapproving.

"I'm going to bed." I got up and ascended the stairs to my dorm. Nat and Lily followed a few minutes later. We were all silent as we got ready for bed.

The next day was Saturday. I got up at 8:30, much later than usual.  
Remus was down in the common room, reading.

"Hey, Remie." I opened my own book.

"Kara, what really happened with Regulus?"

"I don't really want to talk about it, Rem." He raised his eyebrows.

"If I tell you will you leave me alone?"

"Yes."

"He tried to rape me."

"He WHAT?!?"

"You heard me."

"So what happened?"

"Sirius came."

"Oh. So that's why you're talking again?"

"Yes."

"Good, I'm glad. It was too quiet without you two talking constantly."

"Remus, you won't tell anyone, will you?"

"Nope. So long as you don't say anything about me."

"Deal." We both turned back to our books.

At a few minutes before ten o'clock, James, Sirius, and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team emerged from their dorms, looking quite tired. I had changed into my practice robes and grabbed my broom.

"Come on, guys! We've got a game in two weeks!" I ushered my team out of the portrait hole and down to the Quidditch pitch.

Practice was a tough one. We were all sweating heavily when it was over, and I was grateful when a light rain began to fall as everyone headed towards the showers. I picked up the balls and other gear slowly; I'd always liked the rain. Sirius came up next to me and began helping me put the gear into bags and boxes. We worked silently, enjoying the drops that fell onto your hair and back. I looked up and saw Sirius, dripping wet, looking back at me. We stood that way for a moment, staring at each other. He was gorgeous. And although I'd noticed so many times before, it felt like I was realizing for the first time how warm those gray eyes were, and how soft his lips appeared. He smiled slightly at you before breaking eye contact. I came out of my reverie, and Sirius and I lugged the heavy box of balls towards the locker room together.

~*Sirius' POV*~

Kara was packing up equipment all by herself, in the rain. I'd never minded the rain, so I decided to help her. She looked so pretty like that, with a few strands of soaking hair sticking to her face, and her cheeks flushed from practice. She didn't seem to mind the drizzle either, and definitely wasn't worried about the rain ruining a perfect hair day or messing up her makeup. I loved that about her. Her lips, those succulent lips I so wanted to taste, were twisted up in a slight smile. For one of the only times in my life, I was jealous of your brother. He'd gotten to feel those amazing lips, and he'd had the nerve to do it against her will. But I'd gotten to rescue her. That's always worth something, right? And when she hugged me it felt so nice, not pushy or expectant like those other girls. I realized I was staring, so I smiled quickly and looked away. It would be so hard to come to terms with the fact that I'd never have her.


	23. They Used To Love Me

Finals were rapidly approaching, and now almost all of my free time was devoted to studying. Regulus could be seen assisting Hagrid, the gamekeeper, every morning and night. He'd be doing so for the rest of the school year.

Me, James, and Sirius were studying under the willow tree. Lily and Remus were at a Prefects meeting, and Nat was at Charms club with Peter. I quizzed James on Potions, and Sirius read up on various magical creatures.

"Kara, d'you think Lily really hates me?"

"Not really, but you could deflate your head and not hex people for fun. And stop asking her out. Just be her friend."

"Friend. Ok. I can do that. Thanks, Kara."

"No problem, Potter." I ruffled his hair, then went back to studying. I really hoped James would take my advice. Lily had continued to warm up to him, only to turn icy every time he did something stupid.

Sirius came over and sat next to me, in my favorite spot. I was on a low branch that allowed me to dip my feet into the lake.

"May I help you?" I asked.

"No."

"Alrighty then." He was sitting kind of close; I liked it.

"I've got to go to the library." James excused himself. Sirius and I sat quietly. I splashed my feet slightly, and that was the only noise I heard. I was exhausted. Between homework, classes, Quidditch, and studying, I barely slept anymore. I closed my eyes. It was so peaceful like this. Until…

Sirius pushed me into the lake. It was surprisingly warm. I surfaced and glared at him. He was laughing. He offered me a hand up. I took it but pulled him in with me instead of getting out.

"What was that for, O'Connell?"

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" Sirius' only response was to splash water at me. I shrieked and splashed back. When my arms were getting tired and his splashes were seriously overpowering mine, I went underwater and swam up behind him. I resurfaced and dunked him, as he was looking to see where I went. I let go and tried to swim away, but he caught my foot and pulled me back to him.

"That wasn't very nice, Kara." he picked me up bridal style and held me just under the surface. When he pulled me back up, I spit water in his face. He dropped me at this and I swam away, laughing. I sat on the grass and waited for Sirius to join me. He did, laughing just as hard as I was. He shook his hair out, spraying me with water.

"Thanks, Sirius." I said sarcastically.

"Any time!" I pushed him over. I lay back on the warm ground and closed my eyes. The sun gradually dried my soaking form as I slept.

I sat up about 45 minutes later, and looked over at Sirius. He was sleeping, mouth slightly open and smiling a little.

"Sirius." I hoped this would wake him up. It didn't. I poked him. "Sirius. Sirius get up please!" He didn't move. I thought back to Christmas, and an idea came to mind. I bent in close to his ear and said softly, "Hey baby, you want to go somewhere private?" Sirius opened his eyes. I couldn't help laughing when he sat up, puzzled.

"Huh?"

"You have a sick mind, my friend."

"Thank you." I laughed again as he flashed a famous Sirius Black sexy grin.

"Why did you wake me up?"

"Because I woke up."

"So-?"

"So I was lonely. I needed my Sirius fix." I put on a puppy dog face.

"Fine. I won't hex you."

"Funny."

"Who's joking?" He tried to keep a straight face. We got up and made our way back to the willow tree and our books. We studied together for about an hour before heading back inside.

When we entered the common room I found your dad's owl, Gizmo, flying around. He saw me and landed on my shoulder. I took the letter from his leg and read:

Dear Kare Bear,  
I can't wait to see you in just three weeks! Mom says you can invite those 'lovely English friends of yours.' Feel free to bring as many people as you like (not too many, for my sanity.) You know how your mother loves to entertain! Owl me and let me know who will be coming! I love you,  
Dad

I was just about to ask the Marauders, Nat, and Lily when my mind fell on one little glitch in this lovely plan: Remus. How would he be able to transform without a safe place to do it? I decided to ask both my dad and Remus about this.  
I found my studious friend in his dorm

"Hey Remus."

"Hi Kara."

"What do you so when you have to transform outside of school?"

"My parents' basement. Why?"

"Well my dad invited all of you guys over for a few weeks during the summer. But I wasn't sure if you would want me to ask him."

"He won't tell anyone that doesn't need to know?"

"Nope."

"Alright. If it's safe."

"I'll write back, then."

"Thanks, Kara."

"Anything for my Remie." I smiled and went to write a letter to my dad. Four days later, there was a reply.

Kare Bear,  
I've made arrangements for your friend. Won't say anything else in case this letter goes astray. See you all in a few weeks!  
Love,  
Dad

I told Remus what my dad had said, and he wrote to his parents for permission. I hadn't said anything to anyone about my parents' offer. I didn't want to whisk everyone off to America and leave Remus here. He'd already been punished enough for being a werewolf.  
When Remus' parents wrote back, giving their consent, I asked the others. I was surprised when Sirius came up to me as soon as everyone else went to write to their parents, and said,

"I can come."

"How do you know?"

"Because I want to go."

"Don't you need to ask your parents?"

"No. I moved out this summer."

"You never said anything." He shrugged.

"It's not a big deal. I'd had enough, so I left."

"Where are you living?"

"Hogwarts." I rolled my eyes as he grinned.

"During the summer."

"The Potters'. Until I can get my own place."

"If you need anything-"

"I'll be sure to ask you."

"Good."

"You want to go for a walk?"

"Sure." I followed Sirius out of the common room. We walked along in silence outside.

"Was there something you needed, Sirius?"

"Do I have to have a reason to be around you?" his quick temper ignited.

"No. I just-"

"I'm sorry, Kara. It's just- I don't know. I don't like talking about my family."

"I understand."

"I hate them so much. But then I feel guilty because I know I should love them. Because they're my family. They used to love me, too. But that was only before I came to Hogwarts, and got Sorted into Gryffindor. Then the fun times stopped, and the yelling and the hitting started. And when I mentioned James- man, that was rough. My mother went insane. I didn't come to for an hour." He laughed bitterly. For a guy who didn't like talking about his family, he had a lot to say.  
I considered this a good thing. At least he got his feelings out. I had never known that his parents beat him. It saddened me. Sirius was such a great guy.

"Sorry. I don't mean to dump all this on you."

"No, don't worry about it, Sirius. I don't mind." He gave me a small, grateful smile. "You probably don't want my opinion, but-"

"No, go ahead."

"Honestly? They sound horrible. So what if they loved you when they thought you'd be what they expected? They did a 180 as soon as you took your own path. They're not your family. You shouldn't worry about them. You moved out, which was really brave. So you can be done with them, or at least try to be. I know it sounds a little harsh, but you have another family here. There are a lot of people who care about you, no matter what you do." I took a deep breath. That was a lot to say. Sirius was silent, and I hoped I hadn't said too much, or something that upset him. But then he pulled me into a big hug.

"Thanks, Kara. You're right." I hugged him back, and didn't say anything. "So, you care about me, O'Connell?" Sirius joked, letting you go.

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," I retorted, laughing. Sirius pretended to be hurt.

"And all this time I thought we were friends! Well I never-" He exhaled loudly. I laughed again as he began to stomp away.

"Sirius," I jogged to catch up with him. "Stop!"

"Not till you say you care about me!" There was an amused smile playing on his lips.

"I care about you, Sirius." He grinned broadly.

"Awwww.." I giggled as he pulled me into another hug.

"Come on, Drama Queen." I led him back up to the castle.


	24. Mrs Norris

My friends had all been allowed to come to Connecticut. School ended in two weeks; finals began today. It started with Ancient Runes and followed my class schedule, except Potions was on Thursday afternoon and I was finished after Astronomy Thursday night. It was a hectic schedule, but I got through it, and I had a week of doing nothing with my friends while teachers graded the exams we took. Me, Nat, and Lily were sitting in our usual spot. We hadn't seen the Marauders in awhile, so we figured they were about to do something to make Filch cry.

Sure enough, in late afternoon, we heard a faint explosion, and the echo of Filch's screams from the school. A few minutes later, the Marauders came into the trees secrecy, panting and grinning widely.

"What did you do now?" I asked.

"Us? We've been out here with you all afternoon." James said innocently.

"Okay." Nat said, smiling as Remus sat down next to her.

"So what have we been up to all afternoon then, boys?" Lily asked.

"You're not going to turn us in?" James asked.

"No."

"Thanks, Lily." She smiled at him.

"No problem, Potter."

"Well- we've been playing Truth or Dare! And Peter kissed Sirius, and Nat and Kara switched bras, and you admitted you don't hate me." James told Lily the alibi.

"I don't hate you."

"Well then we're one for three!" I interjected. "I don't think Nat would be able to breathe in my bra." Nat and Lily laughed; I was just barely a B cup, and Nat was a D. The boys looked confused.

"Why not?" Remus asked. This set us off giggling again.

"It's nothing, Rem." Nat said between laughs. The guys just looked at each other. We all got up, we three still laughing, and headed back to the castle. Professor McGonagall intercepted us not far from the castle doors.

"You four! That was ridiculous! What makes you think you can get away with something so-"

"Not to be rude, Professor, but what are you talking about?" Remus was good at the innocence act.

"You mean to tell me it wasn't you who attached a firework to Mrs. Norris and flung her into Mr. Filch's office, which was lined in dung bombs?"

"No. But that's impressive." Sirius said as I stifled a laugh.

"I wish we'd thought of that. Although, I don't know, I think two fireworks would have been better" Peter trailed off. McGonagall looked suspicious.

"They're telling the truth, Professor." Lily put in. McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "They were with us all afternoon."

"Very well. Sorry to bother you, boys." McGonagall nodded curtly and walked away.

"Thanks, Lily." All four boys said at once when McGonagall was out of earshot. Lily was laughing too hard to respond.

"You put a firework on Mrs. Norris?"

"Yeah"

"Brilliant!"

"Yea- What?"

"You've got no idea how many times I've wanted to kick that blasted cat." James was looking at her even more dazedly than usual. She just giggled and looked away.

I smiled. James had listened to what I'd told him, and the two of them fought a lot less now.

Finally it was our last full day. I spent it walking the grounds with my friends, talking about the year and how things had changed so drastically. The Marauders were off who knows where, no doubt trying to sabotage something in some way, without getting detention.

I just hoped they didn't get themselves thrown out of the end of term feast. Gryffindor had won the House Cup and I was looking forward to a nice dinner with my friends before I left Hogwarts for the summer. There was no prank all afternoon, or in the early evening. We headed to the Great Hall, to find the Marauders already there, appearing to have a serious conversation.

"Hey guys. Haven't seen you all day." Nat greeted as she sat down.

"We were here."

"In the Great Hall?"

"Yup."

"Doing what?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

"Ok." I waited for the prank all through Dumbledore's speech. It didn't come. There was none during dinner, or after it, as we all went back up to your common rooms.

There was no prank when we went to sleep, or when we woke up in the morning. The 7 of us just talked and joked around, excited for summer. When Sirius and I were walking to the carriages together, I asked him.

"So there was no end of school year prank?"

"Nope."

"Ok. So what did you guys do yesterday then?"

"Talked."

"About what?"

"Stuff."

"Oh, Ok. Thanks for the descriptive tale you gave."

"It's been an eventful year. We just kinda- talked. About it."

"Oh ok. Yeah, it has been eventful. This time last year I hated you."

"I wasn't a fan of yours, either."

"I know."

"I like it better this way."

"Me, too." I smiled at him and joined Nat and Remus in a carriage. The train ride was fun, and we all took advantage of the last time we were allowed to do magic before you turned 17 that summer. Sirius, Lily, and Remus had already turned 17, and were looking forward to taking their Apparating tests. We all got off the train and hung around on the platform before going to greet our families, who waited in the Muggle world.

"Bye, Lily! I'll miss you!" I called.

"I'll see you in a week!"

"So?" She smiled and turned to leave the station. Suddenly there was a big BANG from the train, followed by the screams of some Slytherins.

"I think it's about time we went through the barrier." Sirius said, pushing me towards it as I tried to see why all the commotion was happening.

"Why?"

"Because those Slytherins are gonna be looking for us!" I laughed as we went through the barrier.

"What was that?"

"It's a long story." The Marauders grinned at each other.

"Let's just say they won't be getting any-action-for awhile!" They all laughed evilly. I said goodbye to the others in a similar fashion to mine and Lily's goodbye, until it was just me and Remus. Our parents were speaking to each other quietly.

"Interesting year, huh, Remie?"

"You can say that again."

"Interesting year-"

"I didn't mean literally."

"I know." you both laughed.

"Really though, so much has changed."

"I know! My little Remie's no longer so innocent." Remus blushed. "Lily doesn't hate James, and I'm on friendly terms with Sirius Black."

"If anyone had come up to me a year ago and said all that would happen, Id have asked what they were smoking." I laughed again; Remus was funny.

"Can't say I didn't have fun!"

"No, me either."

"It was a good year."

"Yeah." Our parents were walking towards us.

"Well, see you next week, Rem!" You hugged him and exited Kings Cross Station.

I spent a week at your mom's house. Barry was there and we played Wizards chess when he wasn't applying for jobs. I'd forgiven him for the whole Sirius issue, and we got along reasonably well. My mom worked a lot, being an Auror, so I didn't see much of her. When she was home, the two of us caught up, but I didn't mention Sirius or my feelings for him. My mother had always wanted me to be more of a girly girl, and wanted me to be boy crazy. I was afraid she might say something to Sirius, and for that reason I stayed quiet. I was afraid she'd push me into being with Sirius before things happened on their own. She only wanted me to be happy, but she was a little pushy.

A day before I was to leave for home I were so excited I couldn't stop jumping around. I sang old songs while I packed, and played plenty of air guitar. Nat and Lily were coming that night, and the boys in the morning. At 6:00 my two friends flooed to my house.

"Hey guys!"

"Kara, hi!" We all hugged each other. After the exclamations and hugging stopped, we all went upstairs to my room.

"So how's your break been?" Nat asked.

"Boring. You?"

"Same."

"How about you, Lily?"

"Horrible. That wench, Petunia called me a freak constantly. And she brought home some boyfriend who looks like a ham. Vernon Dursley." We all laughed.

"Don't worry, Lil. Now you're with us."

"So you'll still be called a freak, but in a friendlier way." Nat added in. We all giggled again. We chatted until late, and then went to sleep.

I woke up to something poking your head. I slapped at it and turned over. It kept going, now accompanied by 4 things stifling laughter. So I waited until the wand poked me again, and then my hand shot up and I grabbed it, sat up, and pointed it at the owner. I came face to face with Sirius. Of course. I rolled my eyes and tossed him his wand back.

"Jerk." He shrugged innocently.

"Hey, guys." I yawned and got out of bed.

"Hey, Kara." James said cheerfully, not taking his eyes off of the still sleeping Lily. I pushed him aside and shook Lily awake, as Remus got Natalie to stir. When they were finished making out, we all headed downstairs to breakfast.

"Morning, darling."

"Morning mom."

"So these are your friends? Lovely to meet you, boys."

"You too, Mrs. O'Connell."

"Oh, and so polite! So do any of you know who Kara's dating?" I choked on my orange juice.

"Is it one of you? She won't tell me a thing." she added as Sirius smiled at me, trying not to laugh. The boys looked uncertain as to what they were supposed to say.

"Mom, I told you, I'm not dating anybody!"

"No? Why not, then? There must be plenty of nice looking boys at Hogwarts, dear. You should stop playing Quidditch and start paying attention to them, yeah?"

"No!" I rolled my eyes and turned back to my breakfast. My mom left the room. Lily caught my eye and we couldn't help it, we both burst out laughing.

"I told you she was nuts." I said quietly as my mom reentered. This got us all laughing.

"What are you all laughing about, now?"

"We were actually discussing all of Kara's old boyfriends." Sirius had come to the rescue again. I mouthed a quick thank you, and he nodded and winked.

"Yeah. So there was Carl Humphrey in third year-"

"Lil? That was you."

"Oh, yeah! So there was Mike Johnson in third year, Charles Wilkins and Nolan Connor in 4th year, Matt Duncan, Ricky Lewis, and Clint Rosen in 5th year, and then Landon this year." Lily finished, and my mom looked impressed.

"And me." Sirius said.

"What? I never dated you."

"But you wanted to."

"Don't flatter yourself, Black." We both laughed. Your mom looked confused.

"So you didn't' date then?"

"No, mom. We didn't."

"That's too bad. What happened?"

"I caught him spooning with a man." My mom missed the sarcasm.

"Really? Not like there's anything wrong with being gay"

"Mom, I was kidding."

"Oh." Sirius laughed. Just as we were finishing breakfast my father came through the fireplace.

"Hi, Kare Bear! Ready?" We all got up and grabbed our bags. Once back to the fireplace, I said goodbye to my mom, who promised she'd be over whenever she could get time off, and flooed to Connecticut.


	25. James

I arrived in my living room and stood up to dust off. Then Sirius came through and fell right on top of me when me back was turned to him. I couldn't help but notice that he smelled nice, and I could feel his ab muscles on my back. Then James emerged from the fireplace and tripped on Sirius foot. Remus and Lily did the same. Peter then proceeded to fall on top of Lily, and we were all laughing in a heap on the floor. Natalie stepped out of the fireplace gracefully, giving an appraising look at the scene before her. She didn't notice James snake his arms around her legs until he pulled her down onto the floor with us.

I kept laughing and also kept noticing how nice it felt to have Sirius on top of me. My dad came out of the Floo Network and laughed at the 7 of us, then proceeded into the kitchen. I pushed myself off of the ground when I felt the weights of my friends shift off of me.

"Welcome to my house!"

"That was a little delayed."

"I'm sorry, it slipped my mind when I was being crushed." I showed everyone to their rooms. Nat and Lily would be sleeping with me, James and Sirius would be in Mike and his twin, Ashton's, former room, and Remus and Peter in Barry's room. When we'd all settled in, me, Nat, and Lily went into Remus and Peter's room to chat. James and Sirius joined us a moment later.

"So what is there to do in Southbury, Connecticut?" Sirius asked.

"Absolutely nothing." "

Are you serious?"

"No. You're Sirius, I'm Kara. We've been through this before."

"No, really. We're just going to do- nothing?"

"There are plenty of ways to amuse ourselves. You won't be bored." As I finished, I once again felt the weight of a dark haired object jump on me. "Megann, you're hurting me."

"Sorry!" she got off and we hugged.

"Missed ya!"

"Missed ya back! Hey Nat, Lily!" The three of them then hugged. This was too much for the guys.

"Oh my God, James, I haven't seen you in forever!" Remus exclaimed.

"You look fabulous!" James replied. They did that air cheek kiss thing.

"Sirius!" Remus screeched.

"Hey, girl!" Peter greeted James.

"Hi there, girlfriend!" Sirius giggled. The four of us were laughing as the Marauders continued to mock us. I noticed that Megann kept most of her attention on Sirius. A pang of jealousy surged through me. Then Sirius, who had tired of the little charade, came up to me.

"So, Kara, who is your lovely friend?"

"This is Megann. Megann, this is Sirius Black."

"Hi!" I was relieved to see that Sirius wasn't too interested.

"Hey," he replied nonchalantly. The rest of the guys were introduced to Megann. I grabbed Sirius's arm.

"She's a Muggle." I whispered in his ear. He nodded once, and inadvertently passed the message on to the rest of the Marauders. So we kept a friendly, strictly non-magic related conversation going.

My dad had left for work and we were all alone in the house. When I decided I was hungry and went downstairs to find lunch, Megann held me back for a minute.

"Hey Kara?"

"Yeah?"

"Does Sirius have a girlfriend?"

"No. Why?"

"Just wondering." she smiled slyly and then bounded down the stairs. I quickly banged my head against the wall, and then followed Megann to the kitchen. Great. Another girl who's going to throw herself at him. And ruin my chances!

Of course, Megann was sitting next to Sirius, so I slipped in between Lily and James. At least Megann was more subtle than some other girls. She kept up conversation with him, and giggled a lot, but she didn't massage his arms or chest like some girls did. That was always good for a laugh.

"What did Megann want?" Lily whispered.

"She wants Sirius." I whispered back.

"Oh. You should tell her how you feel."

"I guess so."

"What are you two whispering about?" James whispered. Lily responded before I could say nothing.

"Megann likes Sirius." James surveyed his best friend and the pretty brunette beside him.

"So what's new?" Lily rolled her eyes and then nodded towards me.

"Oh! Well-" James looked back at Sirius. Lily just shook her head for the conversation to stop. Lunch continued uneventfully, as I became sicker and sicker watching Megann flirt with Sirius. I got up quickly when the meal was over, and my friends followed me outside. James and Lily weren't there.

~*James POV*~

Lily pulled me aside when everyone else went outside.

"Do you think you could find out if Sirius likes Megann?"

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"Well, because Kara doesn't want to say anything to her if Sirius likes her back."

"I can ask him later. I'll let you know."

"Thanks, James." I wasn't sure if I'd heard correctly. Had she just called me James?

"What?"

"I said, thanks, James." She did. My name sounded better coming out of her beautiful mouth. It was music to my ears.

"You called me James." Lily blushed. Did she actually blush? Maybe it was the heat? I didn't think so.

"Yeah. I did. Would you rather I didn't?"

"No! No. Please, do." Now I was blushing. Lovely. Oh well, I'd do anything if I could do it with her. Including blushing. She smiled at me, and then went outside to join the others. I just stood there, staring stupidly into space with a big grin on my lips. I sighed. This was going to be a good summer.


	26. Fireworks on the Fourth

We all spent the afternoon outside together, a little tense because we couldn't talk freely with Megann there. Each topic had to be carefully chosen or avoided. We talked about boarding school and one of Megann's old boyfriends. The boys stayed quiet for the most part. Things definitely relaxed when Megann had to go home for dinner.

"She was-friendly." Remus said.

"Especially to you, Padfoot." Sirius didn't answer. We all sat in silence until it got dark out, and then we went inside. The boys went into James and Sirius room, and us girls went into my room. About ten minutes passed, and Lily said she had to go to the bathroom and quickly left the room.

~*James POV*~

"So, Padfoot, what do you think of Megann?" I asked once me and my 3 best friends were in our room.

"What about her? She's nice-I guess, but she's just another girl who wants to get in my pants." I laughed in agreement.

"I've gotta pee," I lied, and left the room. Lily was waiting expectantly in the hall. She was so hot when she was impatient.

"Well?"

"He says she's nice, he guesses, but she's just another girl who's trying to get in his pants."

"So he doesn't like her?"

"Nope."

"Good. Thanks, James."

"You're welcome, Lily." She smiled at me and turned back to her room. I was happy with the way things were going lately with Lily. Kara gave good advice. I grinned to myself as I walked back to my room. The love of my life just might be warming up to me.

~*Kara's POV*~

The first few days of vacation flew by. I showed my friends around Southbury, which was an old fashioned town, complete with a Main Street and a town square and everything. Downtown was within walking distance of my house, so when we got bored we all went down there to window shop or grab an ice cream at Smith and Sons Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor.

It was our first Monday in Connecticut when I was shaken awake by something.

"Come on, Kara. Wake up!" I smiled when I heard the voice.

"Hey, Sam!" I gave him a hug. Sam, another Muggle, was my best guy friend in Southbury. He put a finger to his lips and motioned towards the doorway. Nat and Lily were still asleep, as was the rest of the house. I pulled on shorts and a t-shirt and joined Sam in the hallway. Neither of us spoke until we got outside.

"Where have you been the last few days, Mr. Garcia?" I asked him.

"On vacation, my dear."

"That's what they all say." we both grinned and Sam grabbed a basketball from my garage.

"Loser has to do any dare the winner comes up with?"

"Agreed." We shook hands and wordlessly began our one-on-one game, a tradition for us. It was an hour later and we were both sweating heavily.

"Next point wins." I panted. He nodded in agreement, as eager as I was to break the 30-30 tie. I took the ball out and was about to shoot when Sam pushed into me.

"Foul!" I yelled. He rolled his eyes.

"Was not."

"Was too! You pushed me!" The argument continued for several minutes, until Sam gave in.

"Fine." I took my first foul shot and made it in.

"I win!"

"I noticed."

"Oh, come on, don't be a sore loser, Sammy!" he followed me into my house, where the kitchen was now occupied by 6 British teens and my father.

"Morning everybody!"

"Hi, Kare, Sam." My father greeted.

"Sam these are my friends from school: Nat, Remus, Lily, Peter, James, and Sirius."

"Hi Sam!" Lily greeted brightly. The others said the same.

"Hey," Sam said in reply. I pushed him down in to a chair. "About that bet-" he began.

"I'll let you know when I think of something." I interrupted.

"Ok." we ate in silence for awhile.

"I've got an idea."

"You don't get to help me!" Sam looked dejected.

"Alright. Well, I've got to go to work."

"Work? You?"

"Yes! I'm saving up for a car. You know, something to drive around all those chicks that flock to me." Everyone laughed, but not as hard as Sam and I. I walked him to the door.

"What was the dare idea?"

"That you make me kiss that good looking friend of yours."

"Which one?"

"Dark hair, gray eyes." I giggled. "That's the one you like?" He nodded.

"In that case- I'll fight you for him!" I laughed again.

"He's straight, Sam. Sorry!" I playfully pushed my gay friend out the door. I rejoined everyone at the table.

"He was good looking." Lily said.

"Yeah." Nat agreed. I just smiled. Of course they couldn't tell that my incredibly adorable friend just didn't go for the ladies.

"So what was that bet you two were talking about?" Lily asked.

"I kicked his butt in basketball this morning, so I get to dare him to do anything I want and he has to do it."

"Dare him to kiss me!" Lily offered. James was shooting angry looks at his bacon.

"Actually I was thinking of telling him to kiss Sirius." he dropped his fork.

"You can't do that!"

"Why not, Mr. Black?"

"Because…" I just laughed evilly and went back to eating. Of course I wouldn't do that; I'd be too jealous of Sam. Which was quite pathetic if I did say so myself.

It was finally 4th of July. None of my friends had ever celebrated the American Independence day. They were new to the barbeque, parade, and fireworks routine. None of them complained about the delicious hamburgers and hotdogs my dad grilled. Everyone not Muggle born was also astounded by the grill itself. They watched closely as my dad cooked, amazed. Lily and I just laughed.

Megann had gone on vacation and wouldn't be home for two weeks, so it was just us on the 4th. Which was lucky, because Megann would have been a little unnerved when an owl swooped down and landed on my shoulder. It was Chocolate, Mike's owl. I opened the letter and read:

Hey Kara! Hope your holiday is going well! Sorry I haven't seen you yet, the teams on a long road trip. Were due back in Connecticut next week though. And there's someone I'd like you to meet then. My girlfriend, Pam. She can't wait to meet you. See you Friday! Love, Mike

I smiled and tucked the letter away. Today was Monday. Only 4 days until I could see Mike. I fooled around with everyone until twilight began to fall, and then we walked out to the town's soccer fields.

We brought a cooler of drinks, sweatshirts, and blankets, and settled down to watch the fireworks. I knew we had a long wait, so I walked around, stopping to talk to people I hadn't seen since last summer. Sirius had elected to walk around with me; the others decided to stay at the blankets. We joked around for awhile, Sirius amazed at the Muggle contraptions. Then we ran into Sam.

"Hey Sam!"

"Hey Kara!"

"This is Sirius." I winked secretively at Sam.

"Hey."

"Hi, Sam." Sirius was on edge because he wasn't sure if I'd dare Sam to kiss him.

"He really is a hot one." Sam whispered in my ear. I nodded slowly.

"So how 'bout that bet?" he said louder.

"I dare you to kiss Sirius." They both looked shocked.

"On the lips, for 10 seconds."

"Do I have to?" Sam pretended to be disappointed. Sirius was mad. Very mad. I winked at him.

"Yes. You have to." I giggled as Sam pressed his lips to Sirius. Neither of them moved as I counted, slowly, to ten.

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,91/2,93/4…" They broke apart and looked at me. Sirius wiped his mouth and Sam tried really hard to scowl.

"Sorry about that, man. This one's got a sick mind." Sam pointed at me. I just shrugged. "I've got to go now." Sam rushed away.

"Why did you do that?" Sirius asked.

"Because it was funny." I giggled again.

"No, it was disgusting!" he continued to wipe his mouth.

"Gross. Now I have to find something else to kiss." Pick me!

"How about James?" I teased instead.

"A girl!" I laughed, and pulled his hand way from his mouth.

"I think your hand has done all it can."

"Funny." He was looking around almost frantically.

"What are you looking for?"

"Someone to kiss!"

"Sirius. Stop." He did what I said and stopped, facing me. We both stood there, not moving, until he stepped towards me. I raised my eyebrows and smiled. He smiled back. He began to close the small space between us.

"Kara? Sirius? Is that you?" We jumped back from each other.

"Kara?" Lily's voice questioned again.

"Yeah. It's us." Sirius was still looking at me.

"Your dad sent me to find you. He said the fireworks will start soon."

"Ok." We walked back in silence.

"So, did you get to see everyone you wanted to?"

"Yeah."

"Good." She sat down on our blanket next to Nat. Sirius and I sat next to each other, careful not to be touching at all. How had this happened again? I sighed. What a complicated ordeal.

"Is something wrong, Kara?" Remus asked.

"No. Just thinking."

"Don't hurt yourself." I laughed.

"I'll try not to, Remus." I stole a glance at Sirius. He was looking down, deep in thought. I lay back on the blanket, my head resting on the cool grass. I were surprised when Sirius whispered,

"Can I join you?" I nodded and he lay down next to me, our arms touching. Neither of us said anything; I could feel the eyes of our friends on us.

My dad came back to our area and gave me a look that said is-that-your-boyfriend-if-it-is-let-me-at-him. I sent a look at him that said oh-please. He looked at me for a second and then smiled and winked. I smiled back.

I could feel Sirius nudge my arm. I turned my head toward him. I noticed how close we were.

"What did the girl melon say to the boy melon when he asked her to marry him?" I smiled.

"I don't know."

"Were too young! We cantaloupe!" (Get it! Can't elope, cantaloupe! It's a melon, they're melons! Haha!!! This one gets me every time!!!) I laughed. That was so stupid it was funny!

I had just quieted down when the fireworks started. They were beautiful. I smiled at Sirius face. It was so content and a little in awe.

It was a quick walk home, and we all fell into bed. The evening had taken a lot out of us.


	27. RunHomes and Fraternizing With The Enemy

Sirius and I didn't speak about July 4th. Neither of us mentioned his kiss with Sam, and definitely not the almost-kiss with me. Before I knew it, it was Friday. It wasn't until almost lunchtime that Mike Apparated into my house with a loud pop. I jumped up and hugged him, and he spun me around. He put me down and kissed my forehead.

"Hi Mike!"

"I missed you, Kara. So, introduce me to your friends."

"This is Remus, James, Peter, and Sirius."

"Hey, guys."

"Hey."

"And you remember Nat and Lily."

"Yup. Hi, girls!"

"Hi Mike!" Introductions over, I sat back down next to James. Mike settled into an armchair. We talked, mostly about Quidditch, for an hour.

"So Mikey, tell me about this Pam!"

"She's great, Kara. Smart, funny, gorgeous" Mike had a lovesick smile on his face.

"What does she do?"

"Actually, she's still in school."

"School? How old is she???"

"My age. She's in college. Pre-law."

"She's a Muggle? Does she know that you're a wizard?"

"No. But I'm going to tell her."

"When do I get to meet her?"

"Are you doing anything tomorrow? Because her dad works for the Yankees, and he has secured 9 tickets to the Yankee-Red Sox game tomorrow."

"Really?"

"Yes. She wants to know if you and your friends would like to join us at the game."

"Hell, yes!"

"Don't get too excited, now." I smiled.

"Do you guys want to go?" Mike asked the people sitting on the couch.

"Of course we do!" James answered.

"I'm quite excited. Just one question though: what sport is it?" Sirius asked.

"Baseball."

"What's baseball?" Remus asked. Mike shook his head.

"It's a Muggle sport. I'll explain it tomorrow, don't worry." Friday went painfully slow, even while catching up with Mike.

Saturday I woke up early. No one else was up yet, so I grabbed my book and read outside. At around 8 Mike found me and told me to wake up my friends. We'd need to leave by 930 to arrive in the Bronx, where Yankee Stadium was located, on time.

Lily and Nat were easiest to wake, so I did that first. Then I moved on to Peter and Remus, who awoke when I pushed them. On to the hardest task: James and Sirius. I pulled the covers off James and he stirred. Sirius, however, just curled into a ball when I tried the same on him, and merely twitched when I poked him. James had left the room to brush his teeth. An idea came to mind. I leaned close, and, in a deep whisper, said,

"Sirius? It's Sam." He instantly pushed me away, causing me to fall to the floor, and jumped up. He glared when he saw me sprawled out on the floor laughing.

"Funny."

"Yeah, I thought so. You pushed me!"

"Sorry." He extended a hand and I took it. He pulled me up.

"Thanks."

"I pushed you."

"True." James reentered and I left. At about 12:15 you arrived at Yankee Stadium. The game started at one, so we walked around, bought hot dogs (can't see a game without a foot long hot dog!), and I was about halfway through explaining the basics of the game to my friends when a pretty brunette came up and kissed Mike.

"That must be Pam." I said unnecessarily.

"Let's hope so." Sirius whispered.

"Kara, this is Pam."

"It is." Sirius said under his breath. I smiled.

"Hi, Pam! It's great to meet you."

"You, too." She answered.

"Mike talks about you all the time." We both said at once, and then laughed. It was true. Since he'd been home Mike had talked about Pam at least once every 10 minutes.

"Thanks for the game tickets."

"No problem! I love baseball, and when Mike told me you did too I figured this would be a nice idea." I smiled.

"Oh, yeah. These are my friends Sirius, James, Lily, Peter, Remus, and Nat." I went down the line of seats.

"Hi everyone!"

"Hi!"

"So they go to your school?"

"Yes they do."

"How do you like it over there?"

"Well, not as much as here, but it's nice. And I love school."

"That's good." I got acquainted with Pam for awhile, until I saw something terrible.

Sirius was talking to a girl. A girl decked out from head to toe in Red Sox apparel! I jumped up when he began returning to our seats and pulled him back into the aisle.

"Sirius! How could you?"

"Huh? I was just talking to her."

"No! You were fraternizing with the enemy! If you must talk to girls all day, at least find a pretty Yankees fan and talk to her!"

"That's what I'm doing now, isn't it?" I blushed.

"Thank you."

"I'm just telling the truth, Captain." We were walking back to the seats by now, and Pam heard the last remark.

"Are you a Captain of a sports team at school?"

"Me? Oh-" Think fast, Kara, think fast! "Yeah."

"Really? Which sport?"

"Volleyball." I said the first sport that came to mind.

"Cool!"

"Thanks." I sat back down, relieved. That was a close one. My thoughts turned back to Sirius. Had he just called you pretty? Yes, he had. Maybe he was joking? Oh, goody. Back to confusion. I couldn't contemplate this any longer, though, because at that moment Bob Shepard announced the line ups and the beginning of the game. The first Red Sox batter stepped into the hitter's box. And the questions began.

"What just happened?" "

"Why isn't he running?"

"Because he didn't hit the ball."

"Wait- he didn't hit the ball just now and he's running!"

"They walked him."

"But he's running to that white thing!"

"That's first base, and it's called a walk because they gave up a base by throwing four balls."

"What are they throwing the rest of the time?"

"We've been through this! A ball is when the pitch is outside to strike zone. Remember?"

"Yes. No."

"Never mind."

"Ok." We watched in silence for about 2 minutes. Then, the Red Sox hit a home run. And Sirius and James started cheering.

"What are you doing?"

"You said that when the ball went over the wall it was a good thing."

"Only if its hit by the team you're rooting for!"

"Oh."

"Yeah!"

"I don't get it."

"That's apparent."

"I'm with Prongsie. I don't see the point in this game. They just hit the ball, and then they run? They're not even flying!"

"It's a Muggle sport!" I whispered fiercely.

"Oh, yeah! Still, it's not very exciting." I rolled your eyes. The Yankees were now at bat a few innings later. The player at bat hit a foul ball into the stands, and once again James and Sirius cheered.

"Why are you cheering?"

"It went over the wall!"

"That's a run home!"

"Guys! I told you! It's only a home run if it lands between the two yellow poles!"

"I remember now!"

"But why are they yellow?"

"It's quite the random color, really."

"Yes, it is. I still think they should be flying, though."

"What about brooms would make this more exciting?"

"I don't know."

"Why would someone fly on a broom, carrying a bat and trying to hit a ball?" Sirius looked offended.

"It's harder than it sounds!"

"Ok" I'd forgotten he was a Beater.

The rest of the game went just like this. I was glad when it was time to go. It was getting dark out now, and I was sitting outside, hoping for a few minutes of peace. Nat and Remus were making out in his room, and Lily, James, Sirius, and Peter were talking.

"Hey, Kara." Ok, Sirius wasn't inside talking.

"Hi."

"Sorry about today. I know I bugged you."

"Yeah. It was alright, though. It was actually kind of funny. A run home? Honestly."

"I'd like to make it up to you."

"How?"

"Do you-fancy an ice cream?"

"Sure!"

"Good." We started towards town.

"This has been fun so far." Sirius said.

"Yeah. Quite the interesting vacation." He nodded in agreement.

"I know. From crazy next door neighbors to a guy kissing me to a pointless sport!" I laughed. "It's not funny! I've been traumatized! We leave school and all the Barbies, and then I get not only a Barbie but a Ken!" I was hysterical. He pushed my arm. "Stop!" I pushed him back as you entered downtown.

"Have you succeeded in finding something to kiss?"

"No."

"So glum!"

"My last kiss was from a guy!"

"My last kiss was from Regulus."

"You've got it worse."

"And I'm not running around trying to kiss the hottest thing I sight." Because that would be you!

"True. I'll stop that."

"Good." He opened the door to Smith and Sons Old Fashioned Ice Cream Parlor for me. And he pulled out your chair for me.

"Such a gentleman!"

"Oh, stop. You're making me blush!"

"Right."

"Ill grab the ice creams. What would you like?" I told him my favorite item and he went to stand in line.

"Hey, baby. You look real nice." A guy was standing in front of me. I sighed inwardly.

"Can I help you with something?" He was staring intently at my boobs.

"You could help me cure my loneliness."

"I'm sorry, I'm not a doctor."

"You don't have to be." He pinched my ass.

"Hey! I'm not flour, don't pinch me!"

"I like mine feisty!" he smacked my butt.

"I'm not your property!"

"You could be." He snaked his arm around my waist. I tried to pull away but he was too strong.

"Well I don't want to be!"

"Shut up!" he leaned in to kiss me. I turned my head.

"Oooh, playing hard to get!" He tried again, but was stopped by a hand restraining him.

"Is there a problem here?"

"No." The guy answered Sirius.

"Yes!"

"Get the hell away from my girlfriend, you asshole!" Sirius pushed the guy away from me. He glared and then stormed out of the ice cream parlor. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

"Good." I smiled.

"Thank you, Sirius."

"No problem. You've pretended to be dating me enough times."

"Damn straight." Sirius laughed as he handed me my ice cream. We talked quietly about the magic-involved subjects we hadn't yet been able to discuss freely. We'd gone over school and Zonko's new products and were on Quidditch.

"I still don't believe Slytherin beat us! The Cup should have been ours!" Sirius was still angry about that.

"They did have a good team, though." I reasoned. I was disappointed too, but it just didn't seem so important compared to re-befriending Sirius. This thread of conversation continued. We didn't see Mike and Pam walk in until Mike loudly greeted us.

"Hi Kara, Sirius!" We immediately stopped talking Quidditch.

"Hey, Mike! Hi Pam! We were just talking about-"

"It's okay, Kara. I told her."

"He's not joking, is he?" Pam looked a little overwhelmed, like someone had just dumped a lot of information on her. I looked at Mike, raised my eyebrows, and then looked back at Pam.

"No, he's not joking." Pam sat down.

"Wow. Can you show me magic?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I'm underage. I'll get expelled from school."

"Oh."

"I'll show you some later, ok?" Mike whispered. Pam just nodded.

"This really isn't some kind of prank?"

"No." Sirius interjected. Pam looked skeptical.

"Come on, Pam. I'll show you." Mike took his girlfriends hand and led her out of the shop.

"That's a shocker." Sirius said with sympathy for Pam. Mike walked back in before I could answer.

"Did you need something, Mike?" I asked.

"Is this a date?" Oh, great. He was in overprotective brother mode.

"No." He didn't seem to believe me. I rolled your eyes.

"Goodbye, Mike." He stared at Sirius for a second, trying to decide if he was worthy of a date with me, and then he left. Sirius and I started laughing.

"He's a little overbearing, yeah?"

"Yeah. They all are."

"Well it's a good thing this isn't a date, then." No it wasn't! Why did he say that? I hoped he didn't mean that! I wished it was a date.

"Yeah. A real good thing." I tried to sound neutral. Liar. We finished your ice creams in silence and left the store.

We walked slowly back home, still quiet, but it was a comfortable silence. I looked up at the stars as we strolled. The sky was clear and I searched for constellations.

"Something on your mind?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe."

"A sickle for your thoughts?"

"Just star gazing, Sirius. How about you?"

"Same." He smiled at me and me heart melted. I wanted him so bad. Too bad he didn't feel the same.

Nat and Lily jumped all over me when I entered my room.

"Guys, it was nothing. We just grabbed some ice cream." They looked skeptical, but I didn't care. I was a little angry at myself for agreeing to go with him.

I knew he only wanted friendship, and that killed me. I'd told myself to stay away from him so I wouldn't get any ideas, but it never worked. He pulled me closer to him like a magnet. I knew I couldn't have more of him, that to be more than his friend wouldn't happen, and that made me hungrier for his attention, his jokes, his touch. He was on my mind all day, and he haunted my dreams at night. I sighed as I pulled the covers over my head, to drown in another dream of Sirius Black.


	28. Someone At The Door

July passed quickly. Lily and James continued to get closer. My mom finally got time off work in early August to come spend a week in Connecticut.

"Hi mom." I greeted as she Apparated into the kitchen.

"Hello, darling." My mom then greeted the rest of the house. "So what are you all doing today?"

"Nothing." We all replied.

"Well alright then. Do you mind if your father and I go out for the day?"

"No. Take your time." I answered as I finished off my lunch.

"Thank you. See you later!" My mom Disapparated, followed by my dad a moment later.

"What do you guys want to do today?"

"Nothing!" the Marauders replied.

"Let's go swimming!" Nat suggested. Everyone agreed, so we all changed into our suits and headed over to Crystal Lake, about a mile away from my house in the opposite direction of town.

We swam all afternoon (except for Nat and Remus who disappeared for an hour), splashing and playing Marco Polo and other pool games.

The next couple of weeks went just like this.

Two weeks before school began, we received our Hogwarts letters. Me, Nat, and lily were in my room, the guys in theirs.

I opened my letter, nothing special. Just the usual book list and all. But Lily gasped when she opened hers, then began to smile radiantly.

"What is it Lily?" she held up a shiny badge.

"I'm Head Girl!" Me and Nat jumped up to hug her.

"Congratulations, Lily!"

"That's great!"

"I wonder who the Head Boy is?"

~*James' POV*~

The Hogwarts letters arrived while me and the Marauders were planning a start of term prank.  
I opened the letter carelessly, and something fell into my lap. I picked it up only to be staring at-a Head Boy badge? I checked the envelope, thinking maybe I had Remus' letter. Nope. Mine. I fingered the badge lightly, thinking. Would being Head Boy give Lily more respect for me?

"Whatcha got there, Prongs?" I barely heard Sirius. When I didn't answer he came over to look. He was almost as astonished as I was.

"Head Boy? You?" I nodded. "Dumbledore must be mad!"

"Congrats, Prongs!" Remus said. He looked genuinely happy for me, although we both knew he deserved this more than I did.

"Thanks, Moony."

"So, you think Lily's Head Girl?"

Oh. My. God. What if Lily's Head Girl?? She's obviously best for the job! I scrambled up and rushed to Kara's room, almost forgetting to knock.

"Come in!" Kara called, and I pushed the door open.

Be cool, I reminded myself.

"So, did you guys get your Hogwarts letters?" That was good. Casual.

"Yes."

"Lily's Head Girl!" Nat said proudly. I felt like I'd faint right there. I'd get to spend time with Lily. Alone. Planning dances, and patrolling the halls- it would be a good year.

"Congratulations, Lily. You deserve it." She blushed. God, she was cute.

"Thanks, James." And she was still calling you James!

"No problem." I walked out, feeling like I was flying. No, better than flying. I walked back into the room Padfoot and I were sharing.

"You look positively lovesick, my dear Prongs." Sirius observed.

"So Lily's Head Girl then?" Remus concluded. I could only nod.

"Nice goin', Prongsie." Sirius said.

"So what did she say when you told her you were Head Boy?" I knew I'd forgotten something.

"I didn't tell her, Wormtail. Not yet."

~*Kara's POV*~

The Marauders looked very happy when we all went down to eat lunch.

"What's with you guys?" my curiosity asked.

"One of our own has been appointed Head Boy." Sirius looked like a proud mother.

"Congratulations, Remus!" Lily said. "This will be great!"

"Lily, I'm not Head Boy." Remus said. He wasn't?

"You're not?"

"No. Prongs is." Lily's jaw dropped, and I was surprised as well.

"Potter? You're Head Boy?" James looked sad when she called him by his surname.

"Yes."

"Why?" That seems to be the mystery. But although Lily acted mad, I knew she liked James and was happy to spend time with him.

"Why?" James repeated. "I have no idea." He looked absolutely miserable.

"Well that makes two of us!" Lily was just ripping his ego- and his heart. Poor James. Lily sat down, and neither of them said another word for the rest of the meal.

We went a separate way from the Marauders that day. It was just awkward now. It had just grown dark when I heard a knock at the door. My mom left her place in the living room to answer it. I was in the kitchen with Nat and Lily and heard my mom shout out a spell. We all looked at each other and then ran to see what was wrong.


	29. Crucio

"Stupefy!" Five Death Eaters were storming into my house, my mother stunned on the floor.

We all gasped from where we had hidden, in the kitchen. I fumbled for my wand, heart racing. It was only a matter of time before one of Voldemort's followers found us. Lily and Nat followed my lead, drawing their wands. Just then, a Death Eater entered the kitchen. I could see the hooded figure between the table legs. When it turned around, it would see me.

"Stupefy!" My mother yelled, and the Death Eater fell to the floor. I was glad she was okay. As she was reciting a spell to tie the Death Eater up to a chair, another one came up behind her. It raised its wand-

"Expelliarmus!" I shouted, and his wand flew into my hand.

"Stupefy!" Lily's spell rendered him unconscious. My mother tied him up as well. But that was only two. Where were the other three?

"Furnunculus!" the spell was followed by an agonized scream. So the Marauders had found the others. I ran up the stairs as my mother finished securing the two we'd caught.

The door to Remus and Peter's room was ajar, and I could hear yelling and running.  
One Death Eater was lying motionless on the ground. The other was dancing so crazily with his legs that it couldn't point its wand straight. Sirius stunned him and he fell over. The third, however, was looking murderous. I didn't want to know what hexes the Marauders had put on him. He noticed me at the door, and raised his wand.

"Crucio!" he yelled, and Lily fell to the floor screaming in pain.

"Lily!" James paled. The curse wore off and tears streamed out of Lily's eyes.

"Crucio!" the Death Eater repeated, but this time James jumped in front of my red headed friend and the curse hit him instead. It was now his turn to fall over in agony.

"Stupefy!" Nat shouted, and the last Death Eater became unconscious.

James was still writhing in pain when my mother finally came into the room. The Death Eater who Sirius had just stupefied began to stir.

"Stupefy!" Remus cried, and he dropped back down. My mom tied them up and took their wands, and then ran back over to check on James.

"He'll need some professional help." She grabbed him and Apparated to the Sir Jarrod Flyswatter III Memorial Hospital, an American equivalent of St. Mungo's. We all waited, not knowing what to do, until your mom came back.

We flooed over to the hospital, leaving the Death Eaters tied up around my house. I took their wands with me, and my mom reported the incident to her office.

When she got back from alerting them, I asked for an explanation.

"As you kids know, Voldemort is rapidly gaining followers all over Europe. Although he isn't likely to have plans to take over the States, he is trying to coax Aurors, including me, over to his side. They came to the door tonight with a proposition for me. I made it quite clear that I wasn't interested, and then- you know the rest. I must also warn you that Voldemort will not be pleased that a bunch of teenagers beat his minions. You have defied him, and now you must be ever watchful. He will not take this lightly." My mother held each of our gazes alternately for a moment before turning back to the coffee machines.

We waited at the hospital, in grave silence, for what seemed like forever before they let us see James.

Finally, a medi-witch came out of his room and told us he'd be fine, as long as he stayed the night and rested.

"You can see him now," she added, and then walked away. We all piled into the tiny room, except Lily, who waited outside.

"Hey, Prongs. How ya feelin'?" Sirius asked, full of concern for his best friend.

"I've been better. Where's Lily?"

"She's outside."

"Oh." His face fell. We all stayed and talked for a few minutes, until a new medi-witch came in and said that,

"Mr. Potter needed his rest." we filed out, all saying goodbye. When we had all made it into the hallway, Lily asked if it was alright if she saw him for just a minute. The medi-witch considered, then consented.

~*James' POV*~

Everyone had just left the room, and I was miserable. Where had Lily been? It was her I'd saved, and I'd do it again. I hoped she was ok. Just then the door reopened, and someone cried,

"Oh, James!" and catapulted into me, sobbing. Lily? It sure was. And she was hugging me. Unsure of what to do, I hugged her back and stroked her hair. It was pure heaven for that moment, until she pulled away.

"I'm s-so s-s-sorry, James!" she was still crying.

"Shh. Lily. It's ok. What are you sorry about?"

"F-for this morning. I- I didn't mean to be so m-mean! I w-wasn't mad that you're Head Boy. I just-" she stopped. She was now sitting on my bed, my arm still around her. I'd never thought that this would happen. Not that I was complaining.

"What is it lily?" I'd never seen her such a mess. Was it because of me?

"N-nothing." I wanted to know. Badly.

"You can tell me Lily. Don't worry." She smiled through her tears.

"Ok. I just- I didn't want you to know I was happy." Happy?

"Happy?" she nodded, and wiped her eyes.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You really are dense, aren't you?" she insulted me, but she laughed after. Was she joking around with me? Please let her be joking around with me. "I was- am- happy that-that you're Head Boy. So we can spend time together." She blushed furiously.

I could feel yourself smiling. A very big smile. She snuck a glance at me. When she saw me grinning she gave a small smile and blushed deeper.

"Lily! We're leaving!" Nat called.

"Yeah! Stop making out!" Sirius added. I laughed.

"Bye James. And thank you for earlier." She kissed me. It was only on the cheek, but it was paradise. Her lips were so soft. I sighed when she left, and fell asleep still grinning.


	30. Tips For Becoming An Auror

When I got home from the hospital, two owls were waiting for me. The Death Eaters were gone, and two Aurors were waiting in the kitchen.

My mom conversed with them quietly and I read the letters. The first one was a warning, reminding me that underage witches are not allowed to do magic outside of school. Whoops. The second one retracted that warning, saying I was 'commended for your assistance' with the Death Eaters. I threw away both letters and went up to bed.

The next few days were eventless, with Megann and Sam stopping in to hit on Sirius. James and Lily actually talked civilly for the rest of the week, except once when Lily lost her temper.

I hung out with Peter and Sirius the day after the full moon; Nat and Remus disappeared for the entire day.

I couldn't believe there was only a week left until school began again.

August 30th came quickly. I was finally 17. I awoke to Nat and Lily jumping on me and screaming 'Happy Birthday!' I smiled and got up, only to be tackled back down by the Marauders.

"Happy Birthday!" Remus, who was closest to me, said.

We all went downstairs for pancakes, which my dad made for us.

"Presents!" Nat shouted before I was even finished. I was dragged into the living room and 6 presents were thrust at me.

First I opened Lily's gift. It was a star shaped necklace that flashed all the colors of the rainbow. Then I opened Nat's gift. It was a pair of earrings that matched the necklace.

"Press the center!" Nat instructed. I did, and the earrings began to sing none other than 'I'm too sexy.' I laughed and thanked them. James thrust a package at me next. I opened it to reveal a New York Yankees jersey.

"James, how did you get this?"

"At the game. Duh!" I laughed.

"Thanks. I love it!" I hugged him. Next was Remus' gift, a large assortment of chocolate, which I loved almost as much as he did.

"Thanks Remie!" he smiled.

From Peter you received a sneakoscope. I thanked him heartily. He knew I wanted to be an Auror.

Last was Sirius. His gift was surprisingly heavy. I giggled when I saw what he'd gotten me; How to Prank a Prankster, Volumes I and II.

"Thank you, Sirius." He grinned.

The presents from my five brothers came all day, owls swooping in and out. Nat and Lily took me out to lunch, and we walked around town laughing the rest of the afternoon.

My mom was there when you returned, and I hugged her. She handed me my present, looking very pleased. I knew that meant the gift was extra frilly. I groaned inwardly but smiled at her. I gasped when I saw what my mother had gotten.

Tips For Becoming an Auror, by Melinda Frecklebee. I was speechless for a minute. This was the first gift I'd ever received from my mother that I actually liked.

"Thanks, mom." I finally got out. She hugged me.

"Happy birthday, darling." I smiled when she let go and her eyes were shining.

At dinnertime my dad cooked my favorite meal, and we all talked happily over what would be our last dinner in Connecticut.

My dad brought out my cake, 17 candles shining brightly, and I grinned at the rousing chorus of 'Happy Birthday.' I cut the cake and passed it around, enjoying the festive mood.

There were mixed feeling that night as we all packed, sad the summer was ending yet happy to be going back to Hogwarts. Tomorrow we'd go to Diagon Alley and to the ministry to take our Apparition test. And then, September 1st, the day we'd arrive at King's Cross station and Platform 9 ¾ for our last year at Hogwarts.


	31. I Punched Regulus

I awoke early on September 1st. Realizing the day, I got up and dressed, and exited the room me, Nat and Lily had shared at the Leaky Cauldron.

No one else was awake yet, so I bought a pumpkin juice and settled down at the table, thinking. This was my last year at Hogwarts, the place that had become a home to me. I was Quidditch captain and my best friends were Head Boy and Girl. I'd never thought that would happen when I stood in front of the Great Hall in 1st year, trembling as I waited to try on the Sorting Hat.

I chuckled quietly at the memory, and then went back to my thoughts. I decided that this would be my best year yet. No regrets. I was determined that in 10 years I would look back and say if I could change one thing about my 7th year at Hogwarts, I wouldn't change a thing.

Resolution made, I paid for my juice and returned upstairs to wake my friends. At 10:30 we all arrived at Kings Cross Station, with plenty of time before we left. Me, Nat, and Lily said goodbye to our parents (the Martins and the Evans had joined us in Diagon Alley), and boarded the train.

Lily headed to the Heads compartment and Nat and I grabbed a compartment near the back of the train, waiting for the Marauders. They had all gone home yesterday, except for Sirius who stayed with James. Just then Peter joined us.

"Hey Pete! Long time no see!" I greeted happily.

"I know, it's been ages!" he played along, hugging me.

"Hi Peter!" Natalie said.

"Hey Nat!" he replied, hugging her too. Remus walked in next, just as we'd all settled down.

"Hey Remie! Ready for our last year?"

"You bet!" he hugged me and then walked over and sat down next to Natalie. They promptly began making out, ignoring the fact that me and Peter were making fun of them.

"Oh, oh Remus!" I mocked Natalie.

"Yeah baby?" Peter deepened his voice.

"Oooh. That feels nice!" we both laughed. Nat, without separating her lips from Remus, took off her sandal and threw it at me. I yelped when it hit me in the head. Nat pointed to the door and Peter and I left, still laughing.

I hadn't walked two feet when I ran into something solid, knocking me down. I took the hand that was offered to me without looking up, but when I saw who it was I wished I'd gotten up myself.

"Kara. How nice to see you again." Regulus Black pulled me in close to him. "Ready to start where we left off?" I shoved him off.

"No." He grabbed my arm.

"Come on, O'Connell." He pulled me in again.

"Get off me, Regulus, or I'll-"

"You'll do what, you little whore?" I pulled my arm away and swung it into his face. I felt his nose crunch under my knuckles, and watched the blood begin to trickle down his face.

"Or I'll do that. Have a nice day, Regulus." I gave him a sweet smile and walked off with Peter. I went back to our compartment, where Nat and Remus had stopped making out and started talking. James and Sirius followed not 30 seconds later.

"Hey, do you guys know what happened to Regulus?" James asked.

"Some guy must've punched him. Serves him right, the asshole." Sirius added. I just smiled. "We should go congratulate whoever it was," Sirius continued. Peter snorted. James gave him a look as they exited the compartment. Peter laughed when they had gone.

"You're not going to tell them?"

"Tell them what?" Nat asked.

"That I punched Regulus." I said nonchalantly.

"You did?" Remus asked. I nodded. "Impressive."

"But what was that, when he said start where we left off?"

"I don't know," I lied. "Maybe where we left off in his dreams?" Everyone else in the compartment laughed.

I grabbed a book and began to read. It was a full 15 minutes before James and Sirius came back.

"You punched Regulus?"

"Yes."

"Wow." James congratulated. Sirius, however, looked mad.

"Kara, can I speak to you in private for a minute?"

"Sure." I followed him into the hallway.

"Why did you punch him?" Was he angry at me?

"Why are you mad at me?" Concern flashed in his eyes.

"I'm not mad at you. I want to know what that bastard did to you to make you want to punch him!" he sighed, frustrated. "Did her hurt you again?" he added quietly.

"He tried, but-"

"I'm going to kill him! That slimy git! He-" I laid a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"I took care of it, Siri." he looked unsure.

"Okay." he opened the compartment door for me and we both stepped back inside. I sat next to Sirius and before long I was asleep.

~* Sirius POV*~  
I couldn't believe Kara had punched Regulus. Well, I could, but I couldn't believe what Regulus must have done in order to get her mad enough to punch him. I got back to the compartment. Maybe it wasn't Kara?

"You punched Regulus?"

"Yes." Ok, then.

"Wow." James was impressed. I was fuming. I had to ask. If Regulus had tried to rape her again, I'd kill him.

"Kara, can I speak to you in private for a minute?"

"Sure."

"Why did you punch him?"That insolent little shit. I'd KILL him!

"Why are you mad at me?" Oh no. She thought I was mad at her? I explained this to her.

"Did he hurt you again?" I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.

"He tried, but-" THAT'S IT! MAMA'S BOY IS GOIN DOWN!

"I'm going to kill him! That slimy git! He-" she put a hand on my arm. It tingled now.

"I took care of it, Siri." Siri. I liked that.

"Okay." I still wanted to beat the living daylights out of Regulus, but it could wait. We both entered the compartment and sat down. She was soon sleeping- on my shoulder! She shivered and I put an arm around her. Yay. The compartment was quiet, with James and Lily in the Heads compartment and everyone else sleeping. And Kara laying on me, so peaceful and beautiful. This thought ran through my head repeatedly as I myself began to drift off.

~*Kara's POV*~

I arose a few hours later, and felt extra weight on my head. Taking in my surroundings, I realized I was lying on Sirius shoulder and he had his arm around me. I giggled silently when I noticed it was Sirius's head that was creating the pressure on my own. I snuggled closer and placed a hand on his chest before drifting off once more.

I woke up to a flash, and opened my eyes slowly. I was still in the same position I'd fallen asleep in, and Sirius was still dozing. The flash?

Lily's Muggle camera. I concluded this when I looked about and saw all of my friends laughing quietly at the two of us. I got up and glared tiredly at them.

"You two looked so cute!" Lily said.

"Yeah. Priceless." James added. This was when I noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Peter?"

"He's talking to a girl." Remus informed me.

"Really? Who?"

"Allison Gunther. 6th Year Hufflepuff."

"Ooh!" I was glad Peter was talking to a girl. Normally he was too shy. Good for him. Sirius was still asleep.

"Don't you have a good morning kiss for your boyfriend, Kara?" James teased.

"Shove it, Potter. You're just bitter because Lily still won't go out with you." Lily blushed. I shoved Sirius off the seat and he awoke with a start.

"Morning sunshine!" I called. He just rubbed his eyes.

"We're almost there." Lily pointed out. So we kicked the boys out of the compartment and changed into our school uniforms. The boys then did the same and we stood in the hall.

It was dark when we reached Hogwarts. We loaded into the carriages and headed up to the school.

I caught my first glimpse of the castle in two months and smiled. One last year. And it was starting out great.


	32. I Like That Song!

The start of term feast went quickly. The prank by the Marauders had been above par. Dumbledore had been in the middle of his welcome back speech when suddenly he started to honk like a goose, and his beard and hair turned into feathers. The Headmaster was flapping his arms and pecking Professor McGonagall's hair with his nose when he stopped honking and picked up his speech where he left off, a new twinkle in his eye.

Of course, they all had 2 weeks of detention now. But they thought it was worth it, and many people were saying it was one of their best pranks.

And a record had been set tonight according to Sirius. It was the longest he'd ever gone at Hogwarts or on the train without a Barbie bothering him. No girl had said anything until we headed up after the feast.

I bid everyone good night and went upstairs, falling into my four poster bed.

As always I was the first to rise the next morning. I showered and then woke up Nat and Lily. When we were all dressed we headed down to the Great Hall. The Marauders joined us halfway through our meal, just as McGonagall was handing out schedules. Surprisingly Sirius only had 4 girls following him. But it was early. I looked at my schedule.

Monday  
9-11 COMC  
1-4 Double Transfiguration

Tuesday  
9-11 Charms  
1-4 Arithmancy

Wednesday  
9-12 Double DADA  
11-1a Astronomy

Thursday  
1-4 Double Potions

Friday  
9-11 Herbology  
1-4 Double Ancient Runes

I looked over everyone's schedules. Sirius and I were alone together all day Friday. Me, Sirius, and Remus had Charms while everyone else had Herbology.

"This will be fun!" Sirius said.

"Loads," I replied sarcastically, and then gave an innocent grin. He rolled his eyes.

We all finished our breakfasts and headed out to COMCD. It was an uneventful lesson and lunch came slowly. But when I got to Transfiguration I got my first taste of how hard your NEWTs year would be.

McGonagall had given us a chair that had to be transfigured into a cat by the end of class. James and Sirius managed this fairly quickly; a few others, including me, had a furry chair with eyes after half the class. It was hard work, but I eventually succeeded in transfiguring the seat into a small white kitten. Everyone who hadn't succeeded was given homework. Lily was upset. She was really smart, but she'd always had a little trouble in Transfiguration.

"Hey, Lily. Can I talk to you for a sec?" James asked when we reached the Fat Lady.

"Sure." The rest of us entered the common room. James and Lily entered a moment later, both looking quite happy. The three of us went up to our dorm.

"What was that about?" Nat asked.

"He offered to tutor me in Transfiguration." Lily answered.

"What did he want in return?" I asked.

"Help in Charms."

"That's so sweet!" Nat wiped a fake tear from her eye. Lily pushed her over onto her bed.

"Defensive, Mrs. Potter!" She turned to glare at me. I put my hands up. "I was just kidding…" she ran at me so I ran out of our room. She followed me down the stairs where the Marauders still sat. I jumped onto Remus.

"Help me, Remie! Haha. That rhymes!" Remus just looked from me to Lily, trying not to laugh.

"Kara O'Connell. I'm going to get you!" She lunged at me but I rolled out of the way, so she rammed into Remus.

"What's all this about?" Sirius asked as I ducked a pillow Lily had thrown at me and it hit him.

"Nothing!" Lily said through clenched teeth.

"Sure." Sirius muttered skeptically.

"I'm sorry, Lily! Will you please stop now?"

"I suppose. But don't you ever say that again!"

"Only if you promise not to pretend to let it bother you again!" She pushed me over and threw another pillow.

We all walked down to dinner, Lily having forgiven me.

"Lily," James got her attention, "We have a Prefects' meeting tonight after dinner."

"Oh, ok. Thanks, James." He nodded and sat down. I hummed 'Here Comes the Bride' under my breath, and Lily kicked me so hard I swore out loud. McGonagall gave me a look and I shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile.

"Ow!"

"I told you I'd get you if you did it again!"

"I didn't say anything!"

"You know what you were humming."

"I like that song!" Lily threw me a skeptical glance.

We all sat in the common room except for Lily and James, going to bed one by one.

It was finally just me and Remus.

"Kara?"

"Yeah?"

"You like Sirius?"

"Did he ask you to ask me this?"

"No."

"Oh, ok."

"So, do you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I think you still do."

"Maybe."

"Why don't you give him another chance?"

"Why doesn't he ask me?"

"Why don't you ask him? He got hurt, too, Kara. Maybe he doesn't want to take the first step." I sighed.

"Remus, I'm just as confused as you are." With that, I got up and went to bed.

The first few weeks of term passed quickly. The homework didn't. This was our NEWT year, and the teachers wasted no time before throwing in review assignments on top of our regular ones.

The 3rd week of school, Lily put up a notice on the bulletin board in the common room. A Halloween Ball, Friday, Nov. 1, 4th year and up.

It shocked me to see this. Had it been a year since last year's Halloween drama? It had gone by so fast. Two days after the posters were up, Nat came into lunch looking embarrassed.

"What's up, Nat?" It was Saturday, so she had just come from Charms club.

"Someone asked me to the dance." she muttered.

"Who?" Lily asked.

"Adam Bell. He's in Charms club, and he asked me after."

"He didn't know you had a boyfriend? Hey, Remus, you've got some competition!" Lily teased, and Remus looked up from his book, confused.

"Huh?" Brilliant linguist, that Remus Lupin was.

"Nat got asked to the dance!"

"What dance?" Wow. He needed to get out more. Or at least pay more attention.

"The Halloween dance! The one coming up in 5 weeks!"

"Ok. Someone asked you?" he turned to Nat.

"Yes."

"Who."

"Adam Bell."

"The Ravenclaw guy?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't say yes, did you?"

"Of course not!"

"Nat, would you like to come to the Halloween dance with me?"

"I'd love to." They smiled at each other. Then an owl came soaring into the Great Hall and landed in front of Natalie. There was a piece of parchment and a red rose on its leg. Nat took both and the owl flew away.

"I'm guessing that's not from you?" I whispered to Remus. He just shook his head, teeth clenched. Nat read the note and then handed it to me so Lily and I could read it. It was a poem. A really corny, but cute, poem asking Nat to reconsider her answer. It was signed A.B.

"Awww!" Lily and I teased, and then passed the poem to Remus. He didn't think it was cute.

"Didn't you tell him no?" Nat nodded. "Then why is he trying to force you to change your mind? Seems a bit pushy."

"Remus, guys other than you have, and apparently do, like me. But I'm dating you, not them, right?" His scowl softened a bit. But then none other than Adam Bell came over and sat down.

"Look, Nat, I know you said no, but-"

"I'm sorry, Adam. I have a boyfriend."

"You do?" Adam looked surprised. "I'm sorry."

"it's alright, Adam. Thanks anyway!" Nat said, still friendly. Adam got up, looking embarrassed.

"Happy now, Remus?"

"Very." They both grinned and then got up and left the Hall.

"Where d'you think they're going?" Lily asked.

"Probably to the nearest broom closet or unused classroom." I joked. Actually, it was probably true. Lily and I finished lunch and then headed back to the common room. I could have sworn I heard some unusual movement in a broom closet, but I couldn't be sure. I sat on the couch closest to the fire, doing homework and talking, when Sirius came in.

~*Sirius' POV*~

So there was a Halloween dance again this year. Maybe I should ask Kara again. Yeah. Definitely. But it couldn't look like I wanted a date. We were friends. So I'd ask her as a friend. There she was talking to Lily. Now's as good a time as any. What if she turns me down? My heart would break. But I wouldn't show it. Nope. I'd just ask another girl who meant nothing to me. And things would go back to normal. Here goes nothing!

"Hey, Kara."

"Hi Sirius!"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure." She got up from her place on the couch and followed me out of the common room, telling Lily she'd be right back.

"What's up, Sirius?" Deep breaths.

"Listen, I feel really bad about last year's Halloween dance. SO I was wondering if you'd like to go with me- you know, to make up for it." That was good.

"Sure. I'd love to go with you! Unless there's anyone you want to actually go with?"

"No one."

"Ok."

"Cool." She smiled and went back into the common room. I felt like you could start dancing in the middle of the hallway. Instead I took a brisk, cheerful walk to the kitchens for a butterbeer.

I couldn't wait until Halloween. It would be perfect this year. I'd make it perfect.

I ran into Remus and James on the way back to the common room. Literally.

"Ow!" We all shouted.

"Oh, hey, Padfoot! We were looking for you."

"You found me. Where's Peter?"

"Asking Allison to the Halloween dance." Way to go, Pete!

"Nice. I asked Kara." I just couldn't keep it to myself any longer.

"Really? What did she say?"

"Yes, but-"

"Way to go, Padfoot!"

"Guys-"

"It only took you a year!"

"Guys!" They stopped. "I asked her as friends. Ok?"

"Awww. Why didn't you actually ask her?"

"Because she doesn't like me that way!" James and Remus gave each other a look.

"Ok, Padfoot." Remus patted my back. I shoved his hand away and pushed him into James. James then pushed Remus into me, so I punched James playfully in the shoulder.

"I think I'll ask Lily." James announced suddenly.

"What's new?" Remus asked.

"Thanks for the support, Moony."

"You're welcome. But if you want my real opinion, I think she'll say yes if you give it a shot." James' face lit up.

"You think so?" Remus nodded.

"Go for it, Prongsie." I encouraged. He nodded.

"Yeah. I will!"

"Good for you."


	33. Loss of Patience

~* Kara's POV*~

I walked back into the common room, dazed. Sirius had asked me to the dance. As friends, of course, but still. Lily noticed my lovesick smile.

"So what did Sirius want?" she asked.

"He asked me to the dance, as-"

"Really? Wow!"

"Lily-"

"Finally!"

"Lily-"

"I knew you still liked him!"

"Lily!"

"What?"

"We're going as friends."

"That sucks."

"Thanks, Lil."

"What? It does! You still like him, he obviously still likes you, yet you won't date!"

"Ok." I walked up to our dorm and lay down on my bed.

I sighed. This was such a mess.

"Kara?" Lily's voice came from above me. I sat up and she sat next to me.

"I'm sorry. It's none of my business who you don't date. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course, Lil. I guess you're right, but I'd rather just let things take their course. You know?" She nodded.

"Yeah." We hugged and headed down to dinner together.

The Marauders were there, talking with their heads bent low.

"Hey guys!" Lily said loudly. They all jumped, startled, and knocked heads. We both giggled as they rubbed their newly bruised skulls.

"What are you plotting now?" I asked as I sat down. "I mean, other than how to get some Advil for those headaches." They glared.

"Nothing." Sirius replied very unconvincingly.

"Ok then." I knew it as something good, and I couldn't wait to find out.

"Hey, Lily?" James began.

"Yes?"

"Can I talk to you after dinner?" She nodded, her mouth full.

"Ok. Great." He looked nervous, almost like- he was going to ask her to the dance! I realized. I whispered my suspicions to Remus who just nodded confirmation.

Since I now wanted dinner to be over so badly, it took forever. But finally the meal concluded and James and Lily made their way outside, away from the crowds going up to bed.

I waited in our dorm for what seemed like forever, until Lily came up.

"What did James want, Lil?"

"He asked me to the dance!" Really? What a surprise.

"And you said…"

"Yes!"You smiled. She looked very pleased. "And then-" There's more? "he kissed me!" No Way.

"He did?"

"MmmHmm." She sighed happily and sat down on my bed.

"Did you kiss him back?" She looked at me like I was stupid.

"Of course I kissed him back!"

"So that's why you were gone so long!" She blushed. I laughed and she joined in, and she told me and Nat all the details as we got ready for bed.

The weeks before the dance went quickly, until there were only two weeks left. There was a Hogsmeade trip today so people could get their outfits and anything else they would need.

Since Lily was going with James and Nat with Remus and Peter with Allison, Sirius and I hung out together. We laughed the morning away in Zonko's and Honeyduke's and the Three Broomsticks until the couples met us there at 1. Then me, Nat, lily, and Allison went to get our dresses, leaving the guys to drink and talk about us.

Allison was a nice girl. She had mousy brown hair and blue eyes, and her heavily freckled face was almost always turned upwards in a smile.

"So how are things going with you and Peter?" I asked as we browsed through the endless racks of dresses.

"Great! I really like him. He's so sweet."

"I'm glad. He's normally too shy to talk to girls, but he really seems to like you." She smiled bigger.

"Really? Wow." There was a short pause. "So how are you and Sirius doing?" I dropped the dress I was holding.

"Who?"

"You know, Sirius Black? The guy who's best friends with James Potter-"

"I know who he is!" I cut her off. "I'm not dating Sirius."

"Really? I'm sorry. I just assumed- I mean you're going to the dance together, and you always hang out and you look good together…" she trailed off. "Sorry."

"It's alright." I smiled at her. No one had thought I was dating Sirius for a long time now. Or, if they did, no one asked.

"So do you know what you want to do when you get out of school?" I asked the 16 year old Hufflepuff.

"I'd like to be a medi-witch, I think. Helping people is always something I've liked." She continued talking about class requirements and how rewarding a job it would be for her. I smiled and nodded and continued the hunt for a dress.

Nat and Lily had already picked theirs out and were impatient. I ignored their coaxing to hurry up and browsed slowly. Allison found one next, and I still looked.

Finally, I saw it. The perfect dress. It was gorgeous, and it felt great when I tried it on. I bought it and let my friends usher me on to the shoe department.

After an exhausting afternoon of shopping, we headed back to the castle. Our cheeks were flushed from the crisp October air and our constant laughter. I was talking to James about the previous day's Quidditch practice when a blonde girl sat next to Sirius.

"Hey, Black. You have a date for the dance yet?" she said in a sultry voice.

"Yeah." She pouted her heavily glossed lips at Sirius, and then swaggered away.

"Sirius, if there's someone you want to go with-" he cut me off.

"I told you, there's not. Especially not her. Too much lip gloss."

"That never stopped you before!" James teased. I heard a noise under the table that sounded distinctly like a kick, and then James yelled,

"Ow!" Sirius glared and then turned back to me.

"Anyway, I'm perfectly happy going with you."

"Alrighty then!" I turned back to my meal.

James and Lily spent every waking second in each other's company. All of us had interrupted one of their make out sessions more than once. Things were moving fast between them, I figured they were making up for lost time. They were both completely smitten, and on the few occasions they weren't together they wanted to talk about the other.

I had tolerated this for the last three weeks, hoping that eventually my friend would see how annoying it was for me to alternate between not having her around and having her around only to have her gush about her boyfriend every second. She didn't notice.

There were two weeks until the dance, and I didn't think you could take one more in depth description of Lily's day: James did this and James said that, do you know where James took me today? She sat with James during classes, and me with Nat or Peter. It was Thursday, and I'd been so busy with Quidditch that I hadn't done any of the homework I'd received this week. I settled down to begin this pile of assignments, and had barely finished my first task when Lily came in. She sat down next to me, and, of course, began to give me the play by play of her latest make-out session with the amazing Mr. Potter. I tried to tune her out, and it must have worked, because I was writing when Lily waved a hand in front of my face.

"Kara? Are you listening to me?" That was it.

"Am I listening to you? Am I listening to you? I've been listening to you for 3 weeks! 3 weeks!" She tried to interrupt. "No! You listen to me! I have tried to tolerate you not being around, EVER, and when you are around talking about James. I'm glad you're finally dating, but you spend every waking moment with the guy, and then you talk about him in your sleep! So now I'm tired, I have no best friend around, and I've got homework up to my ears! My ears that are tired of listening!" Lily looked surprised, then angry.

"Well, Kara, I'm sorry you can't be happy for me just because I have a boyfriend and you don't." That was so far off. Couldn't she see that I missed her? "But I won't sit around and let you tell me what a bad friend I am. Wouldn't a good friend be happy for me?" I opened my mouth in shock, and then closed it. She thought I was jealous? Maybe a little, but only because the time James got used to be your time. But pulling the I-have-one-you-don't-so-you're-jealous? I don't think so.

"If you feel that way, then you don't have to sit here and listen to this. Just do what you've been doing, and leave!" She glared at me, and then got up and left the common room.

I collapsed onto the couch and cried.

~*Sirius' POV*~

How much time can two people possibly spend together? For the love of cheese! I'd seen James like twice in the past three weeks. And one of those times was when he was making out with Lily- on my bed! Honestly.

I was happy for Prongs, but was he really going to fall over and die if he separated from his girlfriend for like an hour? We hadn't pulled one prank together since he asked Lily out. Yeah, Remus and Peter were good, but Prongsie- a marauding genius. Not anymore, I thought bitterly. But hey, I were happy for him- the guy only chased her for 6 years.

And eventually they'd stop spending all their time together. I could wait. I walked into the common room and saw Kara on the couch. My heart broke when I saw she was crying.

"Kara? What's wrong?" I sat next to her. She leaned into my chest. I put my arms around her, and to my surprise she hugged me back.

"I had a fight with Lily." she sobbed. I stroked her hair.

"Why?" she sniffed.

"Well, for the past few weeks she hasn't been around, and when she is she only wants to talk about her latest kiss, but I listened anyway because I'm happy for her. But then tonight I was trying to work, and she got mad at me for not listening, and I kind of- over reacted." She leaned back in to me.

"it's okay. You're right about Lily. James has been the same way. She'll come around."

"I hope so," she mumbled into my chest. "She was really mad. And she said I was jealous that she had a boyfriend and I don't."

"Are you?"

"No!" she cried indignantly.

"Sorry. Just making sure."

"It's ok." She sighed and got up. Her eyes were puffy and her hair was messy from leaning on me. Nat walked into the common room.

"Kara, what happened?"

"I had a fight with Lily."

"Why?" Kara relayed the story to her friend.

"Wow. I don't believe you said that to her! I mean, I've been wanting to for days, but still, that was a little mean, Kara."

"I know. I feel badly, but I just- snapped." Nat nodded in understanding.

"I'm sure she'll see your point."

But Lily didn't see the point.


	34. Scarred For Life

~*Kara's POV*~

Nat had me convinced that Lily would understand. So when she came into our dorm that night I opened your mouth to apologize.

"Don't O'Connell," She stopped me. She grabbed a pillow and her pajamas, and walked out. Nat and I, who watched the scene, were shocked.

"I'm sorry, Kara. I really thought-"

"It's ok, Nat." She hugged me. We both sighed and closed our eyes.

At least it was Friday. It was just me and Sirius all day. I zoned out all through Herbology, doing as my professor said mechanically.

Lily wasn't in lunch, or Nat either. But James was. He said nothing to me as I sat down. But he did ask to speak to Sirius. They walked tensely out of the Great Hall. Neither came back. I talked to Remus to try and get your mind off things. No such luck.

"So what exactly is going on?" he asked. I filled him in.

"What a mess." he evaluated.

"Ya think?" I replied sarcastically.

"Me and Nat were never like this, were we?"

"No, Remus. Of course not!" he looked relieved.

"Good. Honestly, Kara, I think Lily will come around. She's a smart one, even though she's not acting like it."

"I hope so, Rem. I miss her. She won't even sleep in the same room as me."

"I know. She slept in our room. Almost all night I could hear them. And her shirt landed on my head."

"They're having sex?"

"No. Just close."

"Wow. Already?"

"Yeah." I was surprised. Lily didn't seem like she'd do that. Then again, she didn't seem like Lily lately. I sighed sadly.

"Don't worry, Kare Bear," Remus encouraged. I glared playfully at the nickname. He grinned. "It'll all be okay in the end." I smiled a little.

"Thanks Rem." He gave me a brotherly hug.

"Anytime. Hey, where are Padfoot and Prongs? Still talking?"

"I hope so." I didn't want this to ruin the most infamous friendship at Hogwarts.

Sirius was already there when I got to Ancient Runes.

"James apologized," he said as I sat down. "He said he hadn't realized what an insufferable git he was being and that he was sorry for spending all his time with Lily. And throwing his shirt on me last night." I giggled.

"Really?"

"Yeah." He looked astonished. So he, too, had expected James to take his girlfriend's side.

"That's good." At least someone's best friend was considerate.

Class started, and I paid attention much better than in Herbology. Maybe James will convince Lily to agree with him, I hoped. Nope.

A week passed. Slowly. Lily was now mad at Nat for agreeing with me. Classes were agonizing; Lily still wasn't sleeping in our dorm. Not only did this annoy us, but the boys as well.

I were busy with school and Quidditch, so I barely saw Lily outside of class. Me and Remus, who'd always been close, began to spend more time together while Nat was busy with Charms.

"This sucks, Rem." I said randomly one day. Remus looked up from his book, and raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue. "I miss her so much. I just wish she'd see I was sorry. Not for what I said, just how I said it."

"She'll come around, Kare." I sighed. I didn't know that someone was listening under an Invisibility Cloak.

I woke up the next day, Saturday. A certain red head was sitting on her bed, crying.

"Lily?" she looked up.

"Hey Kara. Listen, I just want to apologize for how I've been acting the last few weeks. I don't know what came over me. I was just so happy about James, and I didn't notice how I was treating you. I'm so sorry!" She buried her head in her hands. I got out of bed and pulled her into a hug.

"It's ok, Lil." She sobbed into me. I stroked her hair and began to cry with her. "I'm sorry, too. I really am happy about you and James."

"I know you are." We embraced tighter and then let go.

"Let's go find Nat," she suggested a moment later.

"Good idea!" We looked all over the castle, laughing and catching up, and didn't find her. We arrived back in the common room, and an idea came to me.

"Maybe she's in the boys' dorms?" We both made our way upstairs, and Lily pushed open the door. I looked in and Nat was there, alright. Lily closed the door quickly, eyes wide. I had a disgusted look on my face. The last thing I'd ever wanted to see was Nat and Remus having sex.

"I guess we'll have to wait," I said. A loud moan came from behind the door. Lily and I bolted down the stairs, scarred for life.

Nat descended the boys' staircase awhile later, looking quite happy. She walked past the place where me and Lily were sitting, and then came back.

"Are you two-" she was cut off by Lily jumping up and hugging her.

"Oh, Natty! I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay, Lil." The whole apology routine was repeated, and soon all three of us were crying happily. Remus walked down. Lily and I looked at each other and blushed.

"What?" Remus asked.

"Nothing," Lily replied quickly.

"Don't you guys lock the door?" I asked. It was Nat and Remus' turn to blush.

"Let's go eat breakfast. I'm starving!" Lily said after a minute. I realized then that I was quite hungry, as well, and made my way down to the Great Hall with my friends.

James, Sirius, and Peter were there, talking quietly. I snuck up behind them and covered Sirius' eyes with my hands.

"Who is that?" Sirius asked as James and Peter looked on. I stayed silent.

"If you don't tell me, I'll kiss you." Maybe I should stay quiet? I withdrew my hands quickly, and Sirius gave a bark like laugh.

"Shut up!" I pushed him playfully.

"I knew that would work!" he gloated.

"Yeah, yeah." Lily came over and sat down next to us. The three Marauders at the table were very surprised.

"What?" We both said at the same time, then giggled.

"Nothing." Sirius said happily. He winked when I looked over at him. I winked back and smiled. I couldn't wait for Halloween.


	35. Halloween Dance Take 2

"Come on! We only have 5 hours!" Lily screeched, ushering me up to our dorm.

"Lily, we have plenty of time to get ready!"

"Easy for you to say, you're going as 'friends'! You don't have to look good!"

"James would still love you if you went in ripped jeans." She smiled.

"I know. He's so great." She was staring into space.

"Come on! We only have 4 hours and 55 minutes!" I mimicked. She swatted at me and then began to bustle about. I grabbed a book and read until there were 2 hours left, and then I took my time getting ready.

I pulled on my dress and did your hair in a pretty but simple up do, complete with curls. My makeup was simple as well, but it matched perfectly with the dress. I finished by slipping on my shoes, just as the clock chimed 8, signaling the time we were supposed to meet the boys in the common room to go to the Hall. Tired of waiting for Nat and Lily, I exited our dorm and began to walk down the stairs. Sirius heard me and looked up, and his jaw dropped. I laughed.

~*Sirius' POV*~

She walked down the stairs. I looked at her and my jaw dropped. She noticed and laughed. She looked gorgeous. Her dress was a light blue, with a pale lavender layer underneath. The skirt poofed out, but the top hugged all her curves, those curves I loved so much. Her hair was piled up on top of her head in ringlets. I was so bust staring that I didn't notice she was standing right in front of me until she waved a hand in my face.

"Sirius?" I shook myself out of my trance.

"You look…amazing, Kara." she blushed.

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."

"Ready to go?" I offered her an arm jokingly. She took it.

"Yes." We walked down to the Great Hall, joking and talking, and me trying to keep myself from telling her exactly how I felt.

~*Kara's POV*~

Wow. Sirius looked good. Breathe, Kara. Breathe. I had to remind myself to inhale for the first few moments of our walk to the Great Hall. But then I realized it was still the same Sirius I knew and loved (a lot!), and I relaxed. He's just a friend.

We reached the Hall and smiled. Lily and James had gone all out this year. Every table in the Hall had a jack-o-lantern on it. The candles were dimmed and the ceiling portrayed a clear, starry night, much like the sky outside. A few bats could be seen flying above the candles. Silver glitter fell on us as you walked in the door; just the right amount to make me sparkle and look great. Sirius was trying to brush the glitter off, but it wasn't working. I laughed and helped him brush off the shoulders of his suit jacket. Noticing a bunch in his hair, I reached up and ruffled it out. Sirius smiled shyly at me. I blushed. Neither of us moved, and he was just about to take a step closer when James, Lily, Nat, Remus, Peter, and Allison entered.

"Hey guys!" Allison called.

"Hi." we both responded. And of course we went on as if nothing had been about to happen.

For the first hour of the dance I ate and talked with my group, barely dancing. Sirius and I danced a few songs together, but sat the slow ones out, watchingyour friends dance with their dates. Sirius got a few offers but turned them all down. I was asked to dance twice by other guys but I also declined.

Sirius looked a little nervous for some reason.

"Sirius, are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. You?"

"Great," I answered a little sarcastically. He nodded in agreement. The slow song ended and a faster one took its place.

"You wanna dance?" Sirius asked, offering a hand.

"Sure!" I took it and let him lead me out to the dance floor. For about an hour we danced, only stopping to get punch during a slow song.

"It's so hot in here!" I said quietly to Sirius during only the second slow song since we'd begun dancing.

"I know. Can't they open a window or do a cooling spell?"

"Guess not." He shrugged.

"Wow. It's been 2 ½ hours already!" he exclaimed, looking at his watch.

"Really?" The night was going by so fast.

"Yeah." we both sat down at a table, punches in hand. We stayed there in silence for about 15 minutes, enjoying our surroundings and watching our friends have fun.

"Kara?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you like to take a walk outside?"

"Sure." I was still really hot. The cool night air felt great on my face as we emerged from the castle. We walked in silence along the edge of the forest; neither of us seemed to have much to say tonight. Maybe he was just as nervous as I was? But why? We were just friends, right? I looked over at Sirius, who seemed deep in thought. Why did I constantly yearn for more?

"Kara."

"Hmm?"

"You really do look great."

"Thanks." Why did he do that? It just made me want him more! He was smiling sadly at me.

"Is something wrong, Sirius?" He shook his head. I didn't believe him.

"You can tell me, Sirius." He looked unsure. Then he stepped close to me. My heart raced. He put his arms around my waist and pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, reducing the space between us even further. He looked surprised, like he'd expected me to pull away. I smiled somewhat shyly.

He smiled back and brushed his lips against mine. He made to pull away but I surprised both of us by pulling him back in and deepening the kiss. He pushed me lightly up against a tree, pressing his body up against mine a little harder. His kisses became hungrier, and felt even better. I kissed him back with all the passion that I'd been hiding for over a year. His tongue licked my bottom lip and I opened my mouth to let him in. He caressed my tongue and I his. I ran my fingers through his silky hair and he moaned softly. He moved one hand up to cup my cheek and get our mouths even closer. It was my turn to moan and clasp my fingers in his hair tighter. Our kisses became a little rougher after awhile and I leaned back on the tree harder. My knees went weak and buckled underneath me. I came up for air and nearly collapsed, leaning on Sirius for support. We stayed that way, tangled up in each other, until Sirius kissed me once more, swift but passionate. I leaned into his chest and he whispered something into my ear.

"Nothing wrong anymore." I laughed quietly.

"I'm not complaining either."

"We should get back," Sirius suggested reluctantly.

"Yeah," I agreed just as regretfully. I began to move and brush myself off but he stopped me by laying a hand on my arm.

"Will you be my girlfriend?"

"I better be after that!" He laughed and took my hand in his as we walked back up to the castle.


	36. A Note For Snape

The common room was empty when I arrived there.

"How late is it?" I asked.

"The dance ended an hour go," Sirius answered.

"Jeez, we were gone a long time."

"Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. Good night Sirius."

"Good night, Kara." I walked up to my dorm, grinning ear to ear, and pushed open the door.

~*Sirius' POV*~

Wow. That was the best kiss I'd ever had. She looked beautiful with her hair messed up and her lips softly swollen from being in contact with mine. Kara went up to her dorm and closed the door. I let out a cheer that I'd been holding in since she'd put her arms around me. I sighed happily and walked up to my own dorm, but not before I heard two 7th year girls squealing like mad.

"Where were you, Padfoot?" Peter asked.

"With Kara," I answered, grinning.

"And?"

"I kissed her."

"Way to go man!" James whooped. "She did kiss back, right?" he added.

"Yes, Prongs, she kissed back," Remus answered for me, "Why else would he be smiling so big?"

"True. So how was it?"

"Best I've had. God, I've been waiting forever to do that."

"You were gone for a long time," James commented.

"We took a walk first, and then I asked her to be my girlfriend."

"You did?" Peter asked.

"Yes, I did."

"And she said yes."

"No. She said she'd better be after she kissed me." My friends laughed.

"Leave it to Kara to give a smart ass remark after making out." Remus said fondly. I laughed, and lay back on my bed. My friends followed my lead, and soon they were all asleep. Or most of them.

"Hey Padfoot?"

"Yeah, Prongsie?"

"I'm happy for you."

"Thanks." I smiled once more and fell asleep.

~*Kara's POV*~

"Hey guys."

"Hey guys? You've been gone for almost two hours! With Sirius! And all we get is 'hey guys'?" Nat shouted.

"Dish." Lily added.

"Okay. Well it was hot so we took a walk, and then he looked kind of nervous so I asked him what was wrong but instead of answering he kissed me." I covered my ears to protect them from my friends' squeals. They made me give details, 'awww'ing when I told them what Sirius had whispered after our kiss.

"Then he asked me to be his girlfriend."

"You said yes, right?"

"I said, 'I'd better be after that'." Nat and Lily laughed.

"Making sarcastic comments even after 'the best kiss of your life'?" Nat asked. I shrugged, grinning.

"Good night, guys." I said when my face was washed, teeth brushed, and pajamas on.

"Good night, Kara." Nat and Lily replied.

They fell asleep almost immediately, but I relived every moment of his kiss, memorizing his hands on my body and his lips on my face. I touched my own lips, they were still swollen. I sighed happily and drifted off.

I yawned and stretched before opening my eyes the next morning. I was really happy and it took me a minute to remember why. But when I did I smiled and kicked away the sheets. I took a quick shower and dressed. Nat and Lily were just stirring.

"Morning guys!"

"Hey Kara," they replied sleepily.

"I'll see you guys after Quidditch practice, okay?"

"MmmHmm," Lily rolled over and stuck her head under her pillow.

James and Sirius were waiting for me in the common room.

"Morning guys!" I called, giving Sirius an extra smile.

"Hey! So I heard about your night," James said.

"Did you now?" James had expected me to be flustered. I wasn't playing, and he was caught off guard.

"Yeah." was the best he could come up with. Sirius put his arm around my waist. I smiled. I'd wished for so long he'd do that for a reason other than warding off Barbies.

We arrived at Quidditch practice just in time. I ignored the strange looks me and Sirius were getting, and started practice.

We landed two hours later, sweating and breathing heavily. Sirius was talking to Jamie, the 5th year girl on our team. She looked disappointed as she walked off toward the showers.

"What was that about?" I asked Sirius as he helped me clean up equipment.

"She asked me to Hogsmeade, and I told her I had a girlfriend. She wasn't too happy."

"Obviously," I rolled my eyes.

"Funny." I smiled at him.

"I know." he shook his head and slung his arm around me. I pushed it off, trying not to smile. He put on a mock offended look. I laughed as he led me to the locker room and kissed me lightly before heading to the shower.

~*Sirius' POV*~

I'd been waiting forever to lead her away and kiss her. I wanted to do that every day for the rest of my life. It felt so good just to say she was my girlfriend to Jamie. What a great feeling. Second only to kissing her. I sighed happily as I stepped out of the shower.

I dressed slowly and walked out, bumping into Kara and sending her sprawling on top of me. Before I could move Professor McGonagall came around the corner.

"What is going on here?" Kara blushed and got up.

"Nothing, Professor."

"It didn't look like nothing!"

"Well it was. She just fell," I added. McGonagall looked skeptical, and then seemed to contradict herself.

"Of course," she said," you two aren't even dating." Kara smiled at me.

"No, actually we are. We just, weren't doing what you thought." McGonagall looked surprised.

"Ok then." She cleared her throat and the stern look reappeared on her face. "Now for the real reason I'm here." She held up a condom.

"Mr. Snape was found with approximately 500 of these," Kara was holding back laughter. "and a note which said, in your handwriting, Mr. Black," she pulled out a piece of parchment and read 'here you go, Snivelly, one for every girl in the school who you won't bang.'

I couldn't help it, I laughed. It was one of Remus' better ideas for Snivellus. Kara was grinning profusely at the way McGonagall had read my note, and the prank itself.

"It was a good idea, wasn't it, Professor?" I joked. Her lips were in a thin line.

"Detention, Mr. Black. One week, for you and your friends, who I'm sure had a large part in this. You will be in my classroom at exactly 8 o'clock tonight, understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." She nodded to Kara and walked away. As soon as she was out of earshot we both burst out laughing.

"I don't believe you did that!" she gasped. I shrugged.

"It wasn't my idea, except for the note." She smiled.

"You 4 are terrible."

"You know you like it!"

"I never said I didn't." She leaned in and kissed me. I pulled her in closer and deepened the kiss. She moaned softly as I pushed my tongue between her lips. I ran my hands through her hair, still damp from the shower. We broke away a moment later and smiled slightly.

"We should go to lunch," she said. "I'm starving."

"Me, too," I agreed, and intertwined my fingers with hers as we walked towards the castle.

We walked inside when suddenly Kara remembered something.

"Shit, Sirius, I promised Nat and lily I'd meet them in the common room before lunch." Damn.

"Okay. See you in the Hall." She walked up the stairs quickly. I was so busy watching her that I didn't notice someone come up behind me.

"Hey Sirius." she touched my arm. It was Melanie McGee, a 6th year Gryffindor. "You want to go to Hogsmeade with me in a few weeks?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I have a girlfriend." She pouted.

"I thought Jamie was joking. You're really dating Kara O'Connell?"

"Yeah." I started to walk away.

"Why?" I stopped. Why? Because she's perfect!

"Because I want to." I walked on to the Hall, now thoroughly pissed. Why was it so hard for people to believe that I was dating her? Who cares? Apparently every girl at Hogwarts. Kara walked in and sat down next to me, and almost every pair of female eyes glared.

"This might be considered intimidating." Kara said happily. "If I only cared what they thought!" She began to pile food on her plate.

"How's the happy couple?" Nat asked as she and Remus sat down.

"Lovely," I answered between bites.

"Except for the glaring!" Kara shouted, loud enough for the whole Hall to hear. Most girls looked away. Some just glared harder. We all laughed.

"Jeez," Kara said, exasperated.

"They're only jealous," I whispered .

"Which is weird. I mean, you're not that attractive." A smile played on her lips.

"Ouch."

"The truth hurts."

"Not as much as your lies!"

"I don't lie!"

"You said I wasn't attractive!"

"I don't lie!" We both laughed. I took hold of her hand under the table. She smiled at me and turned back to her meal.


	37. Laugh It Up, Fuzzball!

~* Kara's POV*~

"What?" Lily and Nat were smiling at me.

"Nothing." I sighed as I walked back to the common room from lunch.

"What?" I repeated. "Come on, guys."

"You and Sirius are so cute!" I rolled my eyes.

"We knew you wouldn't want to hear it!" Lily reminded me.

"But you pushed us!" Nat added.

"Ok, guys!" I laughed. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Nothing." Lily said as we entered the common room. We all sat down on a couch.

"Hey guys!" James greeted as he entered the Tower.

"Hey Jamsie!" I returned.

"You girls busy?"

"Very." Lily replied.

"Extremely" I added.

"Astronomically." Nat finished.

"So you're free then?"

"Yeah. What'd you have in mind?"

"Come with me." We got up and followed James out of the common room.

He opened the door to the Room of Requirement, and I saw Sirius, Remus, Peter, and Allison in a cozy room with couches and butterbeer.

"Hey Allison!" I greeted as I sat down next to Sirius.

"Hi Kara! Hey Nat, Lily."

"Hi!" The eight of us were all settled and Sirius passed me a butterbeer.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

"You gonna open it for me, too?" I teased.

"If you want me to."

"I think I can manage."

"I believe in you." I opened the butterbeer and he clapped.

"Thank you, thank you."

"I'm so proud of you Kara!" Sirius wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Are you two finished?" James asked.

"I haven't taken my victory lap yet!" I joked. James rolled his eyes as I began to hum the theme from Rocky.

"Ok, I'm done."

"Good. So, anyone have an idea of what to do?" Silence.

"We could watch a movie!" Lily suggested. Only Allison's look stayed blank; everyone else had seen a movie at my house.

"What's a movie?" Peter explained it to her. "Cool."

"Which movie?" Remus asked.

"I know one," I said…

"What is this?" James asked as 10 words flashed onto the screen.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….

"Shhh." The yellow title came on, and a summary followed it up and off the screen.

"What's Star Wars?" Nat asked.

"Really good." I replied.

"Ok…" We spent the next 4 hours watching Episodes IV and V.

"That was really good." Nat said when it was over.

"I know." I said.

"Where's the next part?" Peter asked.

"Not out yet."

"Too bad." Remus said.

"Yeah," Sirius agreed.

"So what do you want to do now?" Lily questioned.

"Quote the movies!" I shouted.

"No. I am your father." James said in a deep voice.

"Laugh it up Fuzzball!" Nat laughed out.

"I'd just as soon kiss a Wookiee!" Remus yelled.

"I can arrange that!" I bantered back.

"How about a game?" Allison suggested to Lily, ignoring us all.

"What game?"

"I don't know."

"How about I've Never?"

"We haven't played that since last year."

"I'm in."

"Me too."

"Cool!"

"Alright then."

"I've never kissed Sirius Black!" Lily said, and smiled as I drank.

"I've never been dumped." Sirius said. Only him, James, and Peter didn't drink.

"I've never had sex." Lily said sometime later. Nat, Remus, -and Peter and Allison?- drank.

"What?!?" James, Sirius and Remus shouted.

"When?" asked Remus, who recovered first.

"Last night." Allison answered for Peter.

"So that's where you were?" Peter nodded.

"And why you look so happy today?" Another nod. James and Sirius were still in shock.

"How did this happen?" James asked.

"I don't know!" Sirius replied.

"How did what happen?" Lily asked.

"We're virgins," James fiercely pointed at himself and Sirius. "They're not!" He gestured to Remus and Peter.

"And…?" Lily asked. I tried not to laugh; I knew she was doing this on purpose.

"And…" James trailed off. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way!"

"How was it supposed to happen?"

"Well, Sirius was supposed to lose it in 4th year," I laughed. James glared and continued. "and then me next, whenever you came around," he pointed at Lily." "and then Remus and Peter when they got married!" Remus laughed.

"Thanks, Prongs."

"Well maybe it's that attitude that's keeping you two virgins!" Lily said.

"No, maybe it's the fact that their girlfriends don't want to have sex with them!" I corrected.

"Or both," Lily conceded.

"But it's not like you couldn't have any girl in the school." Nat pointed out. "So it also says something that you didn't just pick one."

"True." Lily agreed. I nodded my head.

"Anyway, now that we're done evaluating our nonexistent sex lives, can we go get something to eat?" Sirius asked. Everyone agreed. I held Sirius back when everyone else exited the Room of Requirement.

"Sirius, it doesn't bother you that you're a virgin, does it?"

"No. Like Nat said, if I was in a rush I could pick any girl I wanted. But I don't want any of them." He kissed me softly and pulled away. I smiled and took the hand he offered me, intertwining my fingers with his.


	38. Food Fight

November passed quickly. I was getting even more homework, and the first Quidditch game of the year approached on the last weekend of November.

I woke up early and dressed quickly. James was already at breakfast when I got to the Great Hall. The rest of the room was empty.

"Hey James," I said as I sat next to him.

"Hi."

"Don't worry, we're ready." We were playing Slytherin today. But neither of us touched our food. Until James threw a grape at me.

"Hey!"

"It wasn't me!"

"Yes it was!"

"No!" I picked up a grape and threw it at him.

"Kara!"

"What?" I asked, feigning innocence. He picked up a handful of grapes and aimed for my head. I armed myself with strawberries and ducked under the table.

I crawled to the other side and popped my head up. I aimed a strawberry at him and it hit him in the chest. He crawled under after me and I ran to the Hufflepuff table. He looked around for me and I threw another berry. He whipped around and threw a grape at me. It hit the back of my head as I turned away. James laughed so I turned back around and another strawberry hit him in the stomach.

Out of ammo, I grabbed some jam packets and opened one. Three grapes hit me in the arms. I saw James ducking under the Ravenclaw table. His head peeked up a minute later, and I threw the open jam. It splattered all in his hair.

"Kara!" I laughed. He grabbed some of his own jam as I opened another. He launched it at me, and it landed on my stomach. I clutched it and faked an overly dramatic death, then threw one at him while he laughed. It caught his back as he turned away.

This continued on for another few minutes, until both of us were covered in jelly and orange juice. James picked up a pack of jelly from a table and went to throw it at me. I ducked and laughed. James wasn't laughing.

"Miss O'Connell, Mr. Potter, what is going on?" I turned around to see an angry Professor McGonagall, with a packet of jam in her hair.

"Sorry, Professor," James and I said.

"We were just having a food fight."

"I can see that, Mr. Potter. This is a ridiculous display of immaturity. Detention, both of you. Tomorrow night. You will be owled with the details." She looked around once more, and with a flick of her wand the Hall was clean. "Now clean yourselves up. You want to look presentable when we beat Slytherin, don't you?" Her eyes twinkled, something rare.

"Yes, professor." She walked away and James and I smiled. We cleaned our robes with a quick 'scourgify', and sat down as people began to arrive.

"Good morning!" Sirius said as he sat next to me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Morning."

"You look nervous." I shrugged.

"Don't worry, love. We'll beat them."

"I hope so." I returned just as the Slytherin team walked into the Great Hall. They were all dressed in their green robes. All boys, they were tall and muscled. I looked away.

We had talent, which could beat size any day. We'd be fine.

James rose from the table and the rest of the team followed suit, heading for the locker room. It had begun to rain lightly, and the skies threatened to release more severe weather.

Once everyone was changed, we all sat in silence.

"Kara," Sirius broke the silence, "Why do you have jam in your hair?" James laughed as a puzzled look crossed my face.

"I threw it in there." James said and then I remembered.

"Oh yeah!" James rolled his eyes at my slow reaction time.

"Why did you put jam in my girlfriend's hair?"

"Because we didn't have any whipped cream." I answered before James had a chance.

"What?" Sirius yelled as everyone else laughed.

"I was joking, Sirius." I told him. "We had a food fight."

"And now we have detention tomorrow."

"Yay for us!" James and I laughed once more. Madam Gordon, the referee, knocked on the door.

"5 minutes!" I heard her walk away to tell Slytherin the same thing.

"Ok guys, this is it. Don't worry about Slytherin. They're bigger but we're better. So let's kick their asses!" My team cheered and walked out of the locker room.

"Wait one second, Mr. Black," I called. He turned around.

"Yes? Nice speech, by the way, Captain."

"Don't try to sweet talk me, Black." He looked confused. "You left without giving me a good luck kiss." I pushed him against the wall of the locker room and kissed him swiftly, leaving him afterwards. He followed me out of the room after a minute.

The sea of red and gold cheered from the stands as my team walked out, drowning out the boos from the green and silver clad Slytherins.

The Slytherin team stood in the middle of the pitch, all 7 at least a foot taller than me. Bigger? The understatement of the year.

I shook hands with Lucius Malfoy, the Slytherin captain. He squeezed my hand hard, twisting it. I didn't wince, instead held his mutinous gaze unflinching.

I mounted my broom, determined, and took off as Madam Gordon blew her whistle. James immediately got the Quaffle and began weaving in and out of the much less agile Slytherin team. Nearing the goal post, he passed it to me. I caught it and moved out of the way of a Bludger just in time. I faked left and threw the Quaffle into the right goal post.

James winked as he passed by. Slytherin had the Quaffle, they passed it back and forth between them on the way to the hoops. A bludger once again came toward me. This time Sirius came up from behind me and hit the ball squarely with his club. It hit one of the Slytherin chasers, causing him to drop the Quaffle. James was there to catch it, and he came all the way across the pitch to score. The Gryffindors cheered loudly.

Slytherin didn't waste their next possession. Very quickly it became 20-30 Slytherin. And then 20-40. I dropped the Quaffle when a Bludger slammed into my shoulder. I winced but refused to give Malfoy the satisfaction of seeing it, turning away. 20-50.

Now it was the Gryffindors' turn to sit quietly. My shoulder stung but I ignored it. James passed me the Quaffle and I scored. Lucius Malfoy glared at me, bat in hand. I hoped Jamie would catch the Snitch soon. No sooner had I thought this than another Bludger rocketed toward me. I dodged it and raced toward the Slytherin chaser. As he attempted to pass the Quaffle, I snatched it and passed it to Miles, who scored. Gryffindor cheered.

Two Bludgers to the knee and elbow later, the score was still the same. My arm throbbed and my knee screamed every time I turned. And every time a bludger was sent your way, another Slytherin player was conveniently distracting Madam Gordon.

As the game wore on and Gryffindor pulled ahead to 60-70, the pain in my arm had faded. But my knee was killing me. It was getting harder and harder to ignore. Malfoy must have noticed this, because a bludger was rammed into my knee for the fifth time in the game. This time, however, Madam Gordon saw.

"Penalty!" It wasn't allowed to hit someone not doing anything. I took your penalty shot, but the Keeper blocked it. The game continued on its scoreless path for awhile. Both the Slytherin Keeper and Anthony Wood, our Keeper, had their game on. Slytherin had just blocked yet another one of our shots when there was movement in the corner of my eye. On the other side of the pitch, Jamie had gone into a dive. The Slytherin Seeker noticed this too, and rocketed off in her direction. Lucius Malfoy batted another Bludger into my knee as everyone else watched the Seekers. I screamed in pain and had to struggle to remain on your broom. I was seeing stars. Lucius flew past me closely and grabbed my ass. I would have beat the crap out of him if I could move without pain. There was a loud cheer from the Gryffindor fans, and I looked over to see Jamie holding the Snitch up. My team flew over to me and pulled me into the air hug. Miles' broom grazed your knee lightly and I cried out.

"What's wrong, Kara?" James asked. All celebration had stopped as my team looked at me, concerned. I pulled up your robes to get a look at my knee. It was swollen and purple, with a huge blood bubble inside.

"Let's get you to the hospital Wing," Jamie said as we landed our brooms. I supported myself on James' and Sirius' shoulders as they escorted me to the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey lectured about the dangers of Quidditch as she mixed up a potion. She handed it to me and I drank it quickly, shivering at its bitterness.

"Now as soon as that sets in the pain will go away and the swelling will go down, but I want you to take it easy for a few days."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Of course, Miss O'Connell." She walked away. I waited for a few minutes, until the potion worked its magic, and then walked back to the common room with Jamie. James and Sirius had left in a hurry once I'd arrived; they said they had important business to attend to.


	39. The Idea

Jamie and I entered the common room to find a party in full swing. Loud music was playing and butterbeer was being passed around generously. So this was the business James and Sirius had to attend to.

"How are you feeling?" Sirius said as he walked up to me.

"Not great." I said truthfully. The potion had left me a little woozy.

"Do you need to lie down?" He asked, concerned. I shook my head.

"I'm just a little dizzy." He led me up the staircase to the boys' dorms.

I sat down on his bed, head in my hands. The room was spinning. Sirius lightly pushed me down so I was lying on his bed. My pains eased a bit. He sat and rubbed my back gently.

"Thanks, Sirius."

"Anytime, love." I turned and snuggled up close to him. He wrapped his arms around me and I closed my eyes.

I woke up to a tapping at the window. Opening my eyes, I remembered I was in the boys' dorm. I got up and opened the window, and two owls flew in. One flew over to the sleeping James, and one stopped on the windowsill for me.

I grabbed the letters from both owls and they flew away.

I lay back next to Sirius and closed my eyes. His arms snaked around me and pulled me in closer.

"Morning Sirius."

"Hello." I rolled my closed eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Better."

"Good."

"Sorry about the party."

"What about it? I'd rather be with you than all of them."

"Well who wouldn't?" He laughed.

"I don't know."

"That makes two of us." He kissed the top of my head.

"Just the way I like it. Now, what were the owls for?"

"For detention tonight."

"Oh. What do you have to do?"

"I don't know." I grabbed my letter. "It says I have to be in the library at 8 tonight."

"The library? I've never had detention in there before."

"That's saying something."

"I know." I laughed, and sat up.

"Where are you going?"

"To start my homework." I replied.

"What?"

"To-start-my-homework." I repeated slowly.

"Why?"

"Because I can't finish it till I start it, and I need to finish it." It took him a minute to figure that one out.

"Ok. I'll come, too."

"You're going to do homework voluntarily? Before the last minute?" I fake fainted on top of him.

"Funny. Come on, we'll both finish and then we can spend the afternoon together."

"Alright. Let me get changed and grab my books. I'll meet you in the common room." I opened the door and my eyes went wide.

Gryffindor Tower was a disaster. Bottles of butterbeer and used plates were everywhere. People were sleeping on couches, the floor, and each other. Sirius came to look at what had stopped me.

"Wow."

"We missed some party last night."

"Yeah."

"So I'll meet you down there and we'll go to the library?"

"Yeah."

I emerged from the girls' dorm ten minutes later to find Sirius waiting by the portrait hole. He kissed me deeply when I reached him and I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"What was that for?" I asked, smiling, when we broke apart.

"Because I wanted to," he replied, grinning back.

"Can't you think of anything better? That's the one Severus used yesterday." I laughed at the scandalized look on his face.

"Not funny" he scolded as we exited the common room.

I worked all morning to finish the loads of homework I'd been given for the weekend.

"I'm hungry." Sirius said as he set down his quill.

"Hi hungry, I'm Kara." He swatted away the hand I'd held out for him to shake.

"Hilarious."

"As always!"

"Let's go eat."

"I'm not finished yet."

"Why not?"

"Because there's still work sitting in front of me."

"Hurry."

"Give me two minutes." Three minutes later, I packed up my stuff and headed to the Great Hall.

"So what do you want to do this afternoon?"

"I don't know." Sirius and I had entered the Hall and sat down. The Gryffindor table was much emptier than usual, I noticed.

We ate our lunches quietly. Lily came in halfway through the meal and sat across from me. She looked exhausted.

"Don't tell me Head Girl Lily was at that wild party last night!" I teased.

"And why wasn't the team Captain at the party? Or her boyfriend for that matter?"

"I didn't feel good." I told my friend.

"No? Why not?"

"That potion from Madam Pomfrey."

"You alright now?"

"Fabulous! How was the party."

"Good. Messy. Thank God for house elves."

"Where's James?"

"Still asleep."

"Wow. Did you tire him out last night, Lily?" Sirius asked.

"No." She rolled her eyes. We sat and talked for about half an hour. More Gryffindors filtered in, looking weary. James sat down next to Lily.

"Did you see your letter?" I asked him. He nodded. "Good. See you 8." Me and Sirius left the Great Hall.

"So what do you want to do now?" We headed to the Room of Requirement and watched a movie. Not that we paid attention…

James and I left for detention after dinner. Madam Raymond greeted us and explained our task. It was simple enough; we just had to put back all the books that had been returned lately.

We started in silence, grabbing a book from the huge pile and putting it back on its shelf. Then James saw one that sparked his interest.

"What's that?" I asked as he thumbed through the volume. He didn't answer, so I looked over his shoulder. It was a book on 'simple but little used' spells.

"Why's this so…" I trailed off as you saw a picture of a penguin. I skimmed the page to see what the penguin was for. I laughed. It was blind, and it was supposed to sniff out something the spell caster had lost.

"That'd be funny to set on someone." I mused. James turned to me, malicious look in his eyes.

"Yeah…" We looked through the rest of the book with interest, finding a few more worthwhile pranking spells.

We checked the book out when our detention was served, and went back to the common room.


	40. Padfoot's Plan

It was full moon time again. Part of me was happy, since that did mean I would be hanging out with my favorite guys all night, but most of me wasn't looking forward to being torn to pieces again. My mind wandered back to some of the other times I had helped out. Like the time I had first found out that Remus was a werewolf, when I had started to realize how much Sirius meant to me. Then there had been that time when he'd almost kissed me. Then his 'girlfriend' walked in. Yeah, none of those were happy memories. Oh well, hopefully tonight would be better.

I walked down the stairs into the common room to find Sirius, James, and Peter sitting in the corner, heads bent low. Remus was laying on one of the couches, getting what would most likely be his only rest tonight. I tiptoed over to the guys.

"What are you doing?" I asked loudly. All three of them jumped.

"Nothing. Just more pranks to pull on Snape." Sirius said.

I smiled at James. We hadn't told the other Marauders about our penguin prank, which was in its final stages.

"Yeah, sure you are." I replied.

Soon all of us were following Remus' lead and dozing on the couches. We woke just before sunset and made our way outside, where we all shifted into Animagus form. This time, we actually got into the Shrieking Shack before Remus transformed. It was a lot easier this way, because we only had to concentrate on blocking the wide open doorway.

Remus slashed at my foreleg, causing me to whimper in pain. Sirius jumped on him from behind, bringing both of them crashing into a wall before Sirius trotted towards me. He licked my scratches and the deep gash gently, and I nuzzled my nose into his shaggy neck fur.

Then Remus came charging back at us, and our touchy moment was over. Back to work.

Me, Padfoot, and Prongs kept this up for an hour. Suddenly Remus' attempts to get into the hallway became fiercer and more desperate. James turned back into a human and sprinted down the hallway. I turned around to see what was going on.

Standing halfway to the Shack, mouth wide open, was Severus Snape.

James was pulling Snape away now, and I turned back to Remus to find he was almost on top of me. Sirius was watching James lead Snape away quickly, looking furious. My mind flashed back to the common room earlier that day as we wrestled with Remus. That was what they were plotting, I realized. James must have backed out at the last minute.

And Sirius was probably the mastermind. I was going to kill him! Why was he mad at James for helping Snape? What an idiot.

After a few more hours, Remus transformed back. He slumped down against the wall, exhausted. A few seconds later, James barged in as a stag. He immediately was tackled by Padfoot. They rolled across the floor, and when they regained their feet, were standing across from one another glaring. Padfoot's teeth were barred, and Prongs had his head down, ready to charge.

I quickly changed back to human form and stepped between them. Both of them turned back as well.

"You were supposed to stay with the plan, James." Sirius growled.

"I couldn't help it, Sirius. He could have been hurt."

"That was the point!" Sirius shouted.

"If he had actually gotten in here, there would have been two werewolves, and hell to pay!"

I put in, "We were really James had enough common sense to go stop him."

"Stay out of this, Kara." Sirius growled. That hit me hard.

"Don't talk to her that way!" James spat.

"It's okay James, I can handle this one." I walked over to Sirius. "Look, I'm sorry I don't like it when you do something that could have killed someone, ok? I mean Snape isn't exactly my best friend, but, come on! I wouldn't wish what Remus has to go through on anybody! And to use your friend to get revenge on someone you don't like? You make me so…UGHH!" With that, I stormed back to the castle.

I could hear the guys fighting behind me. When I got to our dorm I collapsed on my bed and cried. I couldn't believe that they had gone so far to torture Snape. Worse, he probably knew about Remus now, since he had most likely gone to Dumbledore right away.

I wondered how they had gotten him to go to the Shack, and how he'd gotten in. And then Sirius was mad at James for protecting Snape. That pissed me almost as much as the fact that the three Marauders were willing to use their friend's misfortune to pull a prank that could put someone else in the same situation.

~*James' POV*~

I couldn't believe Sirius had talked like that to Kara. There goes that relationship. And he was mad at me. I thought back to when I had seen Snape there. I had known Sirius had told him how to get in, but I didn't think he'd be thick enough to actually try it. I'd felt so guilty when I saw him standing there. Then I had felt guilty for not mentioning the plans to Remus. Then I felt guilty for backing out on Sirius and Peter. But only a little.

I knew I'd done the right thing. It was what Lily would have done, too. Sirius would have eventually. But the anger he had towards Snape when he'd found out… what a mess. On top off all that, my best friend hates me, and his girlfriend hates him. What a great night.


	41. The Prank Of The Penguin Part 1

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up, still in my clothes, the next morning. My eyes were puffy and my head hurt. There was a long gash on my left arm from where Remus had scratched me. I sighed and sat up, remembering the events of last night. What a mess.

I grabbed clean clothes and a towel, and took a long, hot shower. Afterwards, I went down to the common room. It was empty. I wondered just how early I'd woken up. James joined me on the couch a few minutes later.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"How's Remus?"

"Alright. He's talking with Professor Dumbledore right now."

"And Sirius?"

"He's asleep."

"Why did you guys plan that?"

"Maybe I shouldn't say."

"Come on, James."

"Look, the point is we shouldn't have. We were being stupid."

"You can say that again." Remus said from beside the portrait hole. He'd come in without either of us realizing.

"Moony-"

"Don't worry about it, Prongs. I know why you did it. Not the best reason, but you know Padfoot."

"Yeah."

"Anyway, Dumbledore swore Snape to secrecy."

"What if he talks?"

"He won't." Remus came and sat down.

"I'm sorry, Remus."

"It's alright. Thanks for getting Snape out of there."

"If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have been in there."

"I know. But thanks." They embraced quickly.

"I've got to talk to Sirius." Remus said as he got up.

"Me too. But there's something I've got to do first."

"Okay." Remus made his way up to the dorm.

"Ready?" James asked.

"You bet." I grabbed my supplies and headed to the Room of Requirement.

"Operation Penguin has commenced." James said fondly as I opened the book from the library.

"Can't wait. That ass will get what he deserves."

"Damn straight. Nobody touches my Kare Bear." We both laughed.

"Okay. You have the hair?"

"Yes." He pulled out a strand of platinum blond hair.

"Ok." I read the spell and cast it, and there was a blind penguin standing on the table in front of us.

"Nice."

"Next." James cast a spell for a penguin-sized tricycle. You laughed as he placed him on it, and the penguin began to pedal around.

"Last but not least…" James held the hair under the penguin's nose. It nodded and you set it on the ground. It pedaled out of the room- and straight into a wall.

"Oh my God!" James exclaimed, laughing. The penguin righted itself and took off down the hallway, towards the Slytherin common room and Lucius Malfoy.

"Nice work, Kara."

"You too, Jamsie."

"Malfoy'll never know what hit him." The penguin was made to peck him once he found him, until he screamed for help. Then the penguin would disappear. It was genius.

"We should go back to the common room," I said.

"Yeah." Not only would it divert suspicion, but there were some things I needed to sort out.

James and I went immediately up to the 7th year boys' dorm. Peter, Remus, and Sirius were hugging in that same brotherly way Remus and James had earlier.

"Padfoot…" James trailed off as Sirius stood and walked over. Without a word, Sirius embraced him tightly.

"Sorry man," he said when they let go.

"Me too."

"Me and Wormtail are going to breakfast." Remus said, noticing me.

"But-" Remus silenced Peter with a punch to the arm. He winked as they left the room. James followed, whispering,

"I'll go supervise the prank." I laughed and nodded as he exited, leaving me and Sirius alone.

"Kara, I'm so sorry." I said nothing, so he continued. "I didn't mean to talk to you that way, I was just so angry. I know James did the right thing, I don't know what we were thinking planning something like that in the first place. I was just so angry at Snape-"

"Why?"

"Because I heard him and Malfoy talking about you."

"And?"

"Snape said you were hot for a Mudblood lover, and Malfoy said he'd have 'screwed you 10 times over' if you were a pureblood, and stuff like that."

"Ew."

"I know. I'm really sorry. I get jealous so easily, and you know how I hate Snape."

"I know. Don't worry, Malfoy's getting what he deserves."

"Huh?"

"You'll see."

"You forgive me then?"

"Of course." I pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Let's go to the Great Hall."

"Okay." We walked quickly, hoping to be in time to catch your prank's finale. We were.

The Great Hall was erupting with laughter when we entered. Our penguin was still pecking a screeching Lucius Malfoy. But as we had guessed, he was too proud to call for help. Sirius was laughing hysterically when I looked over at him.

"Did you do this?" He asked between laughs.

"Yes. With James."

"Nice."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you." He doubled over in laughter as Malfoy continued to struggle with the penguin.

I tried to hold in your laughter, but couldn't as Malfoy fled from the Great Hall. The penguin followed, tricycle forgotten, only running into walls twice before pursuing him down the hallway.


	42. The Prank Of The Penguin Part 2

Malfoy ran into the nearest boys' bathroom and shut the door. He took a deep breath; that thing couldn't follow him in here. But then he heard knocking at the door.

No, not knocking- pecking. The penguin's beak smashed through the door, and in no time there was a hole big enough for it to fit through. He tried to find a place to hide as the blind bird sniffed around for him. He screeched as it caught his scent and its pace towards him quickened.

"Oh, hel-" the penguin disappeared. Malfoy, however, stopped speaking, so just as he let out a relieved breath, the penguin reappeared with a 'pop'.

"Aaaah!" he closed himself in one of the stalls. The penguin followed, waddling under the door. It once again began to peck him.

"Hell!" he shouted again. The penguin, now confused, now pecked him harder. "Ow!" He heard someone walk into the bathroom. "Help!" The penguin disappeared with a final peck, and he was left in the bathroom with Sirius Black.

"You having trouble, Malfoy?"

"Where is it?" He looked around the bathroom. "I know it's here somewhere! Where is it?"

"There's nothing in here, Malfoy," Sirius said, holding back laughter.

"No! I know it's here! It's hiding from me! It'll come back!" He searched the stalls. "I must get away from it!!" He ran out, looking over his shoulder.

You and James high-fived as Malfoy streaked past you.

"Mission accomplished."

And the best part was, we didn't get caught.

Malfoy spent two days in the Hospital Wing muttering about birds. The school spent much more than two days discussing and laughing about the prank. James and I told no one except for the Marauders, Nat, and Lily, who cracked up.

Christmas vacation was upon us in no time. All seven of us, and Allison, were staying for the holiday.

Gryffindor Tower was almost empty. I finished my homework on the first day of the break, and spent the rest of the days before Christmas laughing with my friends and spending time with Sirius.

Christmas morning brought snow and excitement. We all opened our presents in the boys' dorm, 'thank you's flying across the room constantly.

I loved all of my presents, but Sirius' was my favorite.

He had gotten me a snow globe. It had a gold-colored bottom, and inside were two dogs. One was black and shaggy, the other white and gray. They played in the snow or laid down together in it. I shook it and smiled as the dogs began to jump around happily.

"Thanks, Sirius," I said contentedly, hugging him.

"And thank you," he returned, holding up How to Prank a Prankster Volume IX. "It's only just come out."

"I know." The other part of my present to him, a picture of the seven of us, was already on his nightstand.

Later that afternoon, when the three of us were in our dorm, an owl pecked at the window. Lily rose and let it in. The owl gave her the letter and the red rose attached to it and then flew away.

"Who's it from?" Nat asked.

"James," Lily said blissfully. I grabbed the letter from her and me and Nat began to read.

Dearest Lily,  
I would be honored if you would join me tonight in the Room of Requirement for a Christmas dinner. I'll be waiting at 6:30. Happy Christmas.  
Love, James

"Aww!" I said, giggling.

"That's so cute!" Nat added.

"Shut up you two." Lily tried to sound mad, but she was smiling.

"What are you going to wear?" asked Nat. And there they went. Outfits upon outfits were proposed and denied. I slipped out as quietly as I could.

The boys, except for Peter who was with Allison, were in the common room.

"Hey boys."

"Hey Kat." All three replied.

"Did Lily get my note?" James asked eagerly.

"Yes. They're picking out something for her to wear already." I rolled your eyes playfully. "So what are you three up to?"

"Nothing."

"Sounds good. Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." The Marauders and I sat and joked all afternoon. James whipped Sirius' but in wizards' chess-twice- and me and Remus talked quietly about the upcoming full moon. We'd have to be twice as careful now that Snape knew.

"Damn Snivelly," Remus muttered.

"I know," I agreed.

James went up to his dorm at 5:30 to get ready for his date with Lily. He left for the Room of Requirement at 6:00, 15 ,minutes before Lily came down to depart. She wore a long tan skirt and a dark green turtleneck, bringing out her large green eyes.

"Have fun Lily!" I called as she left.

"I will!"

Nat and Remus commandeered the boys' dorm not long after.

"Now what?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know." He moved over next to me, putting his arm around my waist.

"Happy Christmas, Kara," he whispered some time later.

"Merry Christmas, Sirius." We drifted off to sleep together on the couch.

I was aroused the next morning by the sound of the portrait hole opening.

"Lily?" my redheaded friend froze, still in her outfit from last night…


	43. Lilian Hath Not Been In Bed This Night!

I was aroused the next morning by the sound of the portrait hole opening.

"Lily?" my redheaded friend froze, still in her outfit from last night…  
"Thy earliness doth me assure, thou art uproused with some distemp'rature; or if not so, then here I hit it right- Our Lilian hath not been in bed this night!" I recited. Lily went red.

"Lily, Lily!" I dragged her up to our dorm. "What happened?"

"Well, he had the nicest dinner set out, and we had such a great time." she sighed happily. "And we kissed good night, and then one thing led to another…" I shrieked.

"Oh my God, Lils! I'm so happy for you! How was it?" she blushed again.

"It was great." Her smile was radiant.

" Oh my God, James' smile must be breaking his face!"

"Just about," Nat said from the doorway as Lily giggled, and then I heard Sirius yell,

"Way to go Prongsie!" I laughed.

"What's going on?" Remus' voice asked. Lily went redder as I heard James explain sheepishly why Sirius was so excited.

"Boys," me and Nat said together, shaking your heads.

"So, tell me about your night," Nat said excitedly. We both listened raptly as Lily recounted her evening.


	44. James's Secret

The rest of your 7th year flew by. We played pranks, played Quidditch, and studied hard. I needed top grades to go into Auror training. It was getting dangerous outside of Hogwarts. The deaths and disappearances increased every day. No one was safe, and everyone was scared.

I lived it up my last few months at the castle I'd called home for 7 years. Somehow I knew that nothing would be the same once I exited the school for the last time.

The last time. I couldn't imagine not being at Hogwarts for 10 months every year. But in one week it would be a reality.

"Hey," Sirius said quietly, separating me from my thoughts.

"Hey." The lake was illuminated by the crescent moon.

"You alright?"

"I was just thinking."

"One week left," said Sirius.

"I know."

"Things'll be different."

"I know."

"We'll be in Auror training."

"I hope."

"I know. You're brilliant, they'll take you in a second. And me-"

"Sirius, you'll get in. No trouble."

"And we can go out to dinner together after a hard day of training."

"No, we'll have jobs at night so we can buy food."

"We don't need food."

"We do if we want to live long enough to go out to dinner after a hard day of work."

""Ok. We'll have jobs." He pulled me in to him and I rested my head on his shoulder.

We'd been dating since Halloween, and I'd never been so happy. I got to see the person Sirius really was more often. The insecure but sweet, strong but vulnerable boy who was rapidly becoming a man. The two of us took things slowly; we'd both been hurt before. But the longer I was with Sirius, the more my old wounds healed.

I closed my eyes and snuggled closer to Sirius. He rested his hand on mine and gently played with my hair.

"Kara?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to be my date for the graduation dance?"

"Yes."

"Good."

It was late when we finally made our way back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Good night, love," Sirius whispered.

"Good night." He kissed you deeply ad ascended the boys' staircase. I smiled to myself as I entered the dorm. Things would be just fine after Hogwarts, as long as I had Sirius.

I slipped in to bed so as not to wake Nat or Lily, who, amazingly, were both in their own beds. Sleep came quickly and peacefully, and it was filled with dreams of a certain Sirius Black.

"Kara."

"Wake up!" I scowled at the voices, eyes still closed.

"Don't you make faces at me!" Lily yelled teasingly. I stuck my tongue out at her and she swatted my arm.

"Hey!" I sat up and opened my eyes.

"Tired?" Nat asked. I nodded sleepily.

"Well it's not our fault you stayed out so late with Sirius! Get up!"

"Fine," I said grudgingly.

"Come on! It's out first day of freedom!" Lily urged.

"Exactly! No NEWTs! Finally! So let me sleep!"

"You never sleep in," Nat pointed out.

"So don't I deserve to this once?"

"No." My friends said together.

"Okay then." I got out of my warm, soft bed and got dressed.

"What's so important?"

"Nothing," Nat shrugged.

"Nothing," I repeated, shaking my head. That was Nat and Lily for me. "Do we at least get to go eat breakfast?"

"Of course! You worked up quite an appetite last night!" Lily exclaimed.

"Doing what?"

"Oh come on Kara! You can tell us."

"I know. And I would if there was anything to tell. Sirius and I aren't sleeping together!" My friends looked disappointed.

"Oh," Nat said.

"I'm in no rush."

"Apparently not," Lily commented.

"Let's just go to breakfast," I suggested.

"Good idea," Nat agreed as her stomach growled, "I'm a bit hungry."

The Marauders were sitting at the Gryffindor table, in the position I'd seen so many times before, heads bent low, plotting what may be their last prank at Hogwarts.

I sat down next to James and poked his head. He sprang up suspiciously and I tried to hold in laughter.

"Was that you?" I nodded. "It wasn't very nice."

"Why not? A girl can't poke a friend in the head once in a while? What's the world coming to?"

"I do not know. But don't do it again."

"I'll do what I want and you'll like it or keep quiet."

"Yes Captain, my Captain," Jams rolled his eyes and then ducked back into the huddle, and then immediately came back up.

"Kara? Can I speak with you a moment after breakfast?"

"Yeah."

"Great." And back into the huddle he went.

After I ate and James plotted, he led me out of the Great Hall and down a deserted hallway.

"What's up James?" I asked when he didn't say anything.

"You're Lily's best friend, right?"

"Yeah." He looked nervous. I wondered where this was going.

"So you know what she thinks and all?"

"Yeah."

"So if I told you something that was a secret, you'd be able to tell me how she'd react?"

"Yeah. Why? You're not going to break up with her, are you?"

"No!" He leaned in and told you the 'secret'.

"Oh my god James. Yay!" I hugged him. "She'll be very happy."

"You think?"

"I know!" He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Good. Thanks Kara. And don't say anything."

"I won't! She'd kill me!" We started to walk back towards civilization. "Does Sirius know?"

"Of course he knows. Who do you think helped me?" Okay. That was pretty obvious.

"Can I see it?" He pulled it out and showed it to me.

"Nice. This is great, James."

"Yeah."

"I can't wait until the dance."


	45. KO and SB

The last full day at Hogwarts marked the graduation ceremony and dance for 7th years. I got an early start, showering and getting into my Gryffindor robes one last time. Me, Nat, and Lily were all emotional. Finished preparing early, we reminisced on my bed, laughing and crying at the same time.

"I love you guys," Nat sobbed.

"I love you too!" Lily and I sobbed back in unison. One long group hug later, Nat spoke again.

"Promise we won't drift apart, k? We'll do lunch or dinner or shopping?"

"As long as it's not shopping I'm game!" I replied.

"Deal," Lily agreed.

"You ready to graduate Hogwarts?" I asked, straightening my robes.

"Definitely," Nat said wiping her eyes.

"Let's do it!" I got up and walked to the door of our room, looking back before you left.

"Tonight will be our last night in here," I pointed out.

"I know."

"Next year some tiny little first years will be in here."

"Weird, huh?" said Lily quietly.

"Yeah," Me and Nat agreed.

"Enough of this!" I yelled, suddenly frustrated. "No more emotional stuff! This is a happy time! We've had 7 awesome years here. All I can say is that I hope the girls in here next year have as great a time as we have."

"You're right," my friends agreed, and we started down the stairs.

"Hey," Sirius greeted me as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Hey."

"We're graduating."

"Really?" I asked, wide-eyed.

"Shut up," Sirius laughed.

"Hey! Not nice!"

"I'm sorry, love. Forgive me?"

"I guess…" He pulled me into him and pressed his lips against mine. I ran my hands through his hair as his tongue slid between my lips.

"Get a room!" James yelled as he, Lily, Nat, Remus, and Peter approached.

"Be nice James!" I retorted, breaking away from Sirius. "Or I'll tell-" James put his hand over your mouth.

"No you won't. I know you." I spit in his hand. "Gross!" He whipped his hand away. I smiled and skipped over to where my friends were standing.

"To Graduation we go!" I yelled, pointing towards the Great Hall.

I sat next to Nick Napolee and Patricia Osselman during the ceremony, watching awards for high achievement and clubs, etc., be given out. I wasn't surprised when Remus got one for Arithmancy or Natalie for Charms, but I was surprised when my name was called for DADA.

I smiled sheepishly as my class clapped and my friends cheered when Professor Dumbledore gave me a handshake and a certificate.

The speeches were made and the diplomas given out. I cheered and teared and went to prepare for the dance.

Me, Nat, and Lily did each other's hair and make-up (they wouldn't let me touch them), reminiscing.

"Remember in 2nd year when James told Lily he loved her?" Nat asked.

"She spit in his hair and called him a slimy, conceited git!" I finished. Lily laughed.

"Well how about you and that Daniel guy in 3rd year? He was always following you around and saying you were sexy."

"Until she yelled that he was a crazy stalker to the entire Hall!" More laughter. I remembered that one, alright. Sirius had teased me for weeks.

"How 'bout that time after Hogsmeade, when Nat and Remus came in all messy!"

"And her lipstick was all over him!" Nat blushed but giggled along with me and Lily.

~*Sirius' POV*~

Me and the Marauders were preparing for the dance and remember old times.

"Remember in 4th year when Padfoot was dating Alisa Barnett?" Oh great. Not this one again.

"She was weird."

"She started stripping-"

"-and her bra had pictures of him-"

"-that was great!"

"-the way he asked her to leave-"

"-he looked scared-"

"-and then she threw herself at him-"

"-literally!" they broke into fits of laughter. I had to join in. It was funny in hindsight.

"We'll never forget Missy Rogers," I began. Remus went pink.

"Remus really liked her!" Prongs continued.

"We were in 2nd year!" Remus defended himself.

"And she was a 7th year!" Wormtail exclaimed.

"You followed her to the library every day!" I added.

"I had work!"

"No 2nd year has that much work!" Peter countered.

"Fine. I had a little crush."

"A little crush?"

"A big one, ok?" Remus was smiling. It was quiet for a minute, as each of us thought back to our favorite Hogwarts memories. Remus broke the silence.

"Remember in 2nd year when Prongs told Lily he loved her?"…

~*Kara's POV*~

I was waiting for the guys in the common room. Tonight was the first time they'd kept me waiting.

"Tonight's gonna rock!" Nat said excitedly.

"Yeah," I agreed. But only I knew how much. Just then the boys' door opened and they emerged.

"How do we look?" Sirius asked, spinning around.

"Drop dead gorgeous!" I replied.

"Take it off!" Nat shouted as Sirius spun again. He reached for his shirt. "Just kidding!" We all laughed.

James looked nervous. I went to him and gave him a big hug.

"Don't worry! It'll be great!" I whispered. He gave a small smile.

"Ready?" Remus asked. James nodded, and we all exited the portrait hole and went to the Great Hall.

Almost everyone was there already, and the Hall looked great. The House banners were hung high and the sky was a deep, inky black, dotted with stars. I stared at it for just an instant longer than usual.

I'd barely had time to say hi to a few of my Ravenclaw friends when Sirius made a request.

"Come walk around the castle with me?"

"But I don't want to miss-"

"We won't."

"Okay." We left the Hall hand in hand.

We wandered the corridors in silence, losing track of time. We ended up outside the library when Sirius stopped and took out a pocket knife.

"What's-"

"Shhhh," he cut me off, and began to carve something in the wood at the foot of the library doors.

_K.O. + S.B._

I smiled as I read the finished product.

"We've left our mark on Hogwarts," he said, satisfied.

"Cool." He grinned happily at me, and I smiled back.

"I love you, Kara." His expression was serious now. My heart skipped a beat.

"I love you too." It was the first time he'd said it. The first timer I'd said it. And after feeling it for so long, it felt really good. He kissed me lightly and took my hand.

"We'd better get back," I nodded, but neither of us moved, so Sirius pulled me back in.

Five minutes later we broke apart, breathing heavily.

"We should really get back," I said.

"Yeah." And back to the dance we went.

We entered the Great Hall just as Professor Dumbledore announced the 'traditional' Head Boy/ Head Girl dance. I knew for a fact that there was no such thing, and that James had arranged this with Dumbledore. But nobody else did.

The dance floor cleared and James led Lily to the middle. Instead of dancing with her, however, he got down on one knee. Lily's eyes, as well as everyone else's, went wide.


	46. The Order of the Phoenix

"Lily, I love you. I've loved you for seven years and I'll never stop." He pulled out a small black velvet box. "Will you marry me?" Lily's eyes shone with happy tears. She nodded and threw her arms around a relieved and ecstatic James. He placed the ring on her finger and she kissed him. Everyone (except the Slytherins) clapped.

I smiled at Sirius.

"That was so nice."

"He planned for weeks."

"It was perfect. Lily loved it."

"I know." I watched my friends spin around, now surrounded by other couples.

"Would you like to dance?"

"Very much." Sirius led me out onto the floor, and we danced for the rest of the night.

The conclusion of the dance came too soon. But me, Nat, and Lily stayed up late, talking about engagement rings and wedding plans.

The next morning brought tears. A lot of tears. It was our last everything. My last morning in the showers. My last time getting ready together in the bathroom. My last time in the Gryffindor girls' dorm. I paused a minute at the exit, looking back at the room that had been home, before closing the door for the last time. It was the same routine when I left Gryffindor Tower. By now, all three of us were crying.

During our last meal in the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall approached me.

"Professor Dumbledore would like to see the eight of you in his office now." Exchanging confused looks, we rose and followed her out of the Hall.

"Please, sit," Dumbledore said when we entered, gesturing to the eight unoccupied chairs in his office. "I suppose you're all wondering why I asked you here, especially since you prank has not yet been put in to effect." The Marauders smiled mischievously. "I am afraid that the matter which I wish to discuss with you is a very grave one." He paused, looking each of us in the eye.

"The deaths and disappearances among both the wizarding and Muggle communities have been increasing. Voldemort and his Death Eaters are gaining more followers and power. The Ministry is proving incapable of stopping this, but someone must. I have assembled a group of witches and wizards dedicated to this cause. We are called the Order of the Phoenix. It is vital to have only the most trustworthy and able people in this organization, as treason must not occur. I have, as you may have guessed by now, asked you here today because I believe you possess the qualities I need. Bravery, courage, and loyalty, not to mention skills. I am asking you to join the Order of the Phoenix. This must be a decision made by you and only you. No one else can decide this for you. You will be in danger. But I believe each of you able to withstand this. Inform me of your decision by owl as soon as it is made." Dumbledore fell silent and each of us were left to our own thoughts.

"Thank you for your time," he continued after a pause, "and congratulations on your successful completion of Hogwarts. It's been a pleasure." We all rose to leave, thanking our headmaster.

"Miss Evans, Mr. Potter," they turned back around, "Congratulations." Lily blushed and both thanked the professor before leaving the office.

The walk back to the Hall began in silence. There were no doubts in my mind that I wanted to join the Order. But could I do that as well as Auror training?

Me, Sirius, and James had received our acceptance letters into the program this morning, and I was thrilled. It was what I'd always wanted, and I knew it took a lot of time. I quickly decided, however, that the Order of the Phoenix could be worked in. What good were Aurors if everybody was dead?

"I'm going to do it," I announced to my noiseless friends.

"Me, too." Sirius said a moment later.

"I'm definitely in."

"So am I."

"I want to."

"Me too."

"Definitely." So we were all in.

Little did we know what disastrous results it would bring.


	47. Thank You, Hogwarts

We had just arrived back in the Great Hall when it happened. We heard a commotion at the Slytherin table, and looked over to see Regulus Black making out with Bellatrix. Rodolphus, her boyfriend, was attempting to break them apart, with no success. Once that had gotten everyone's attention, Snape was thrown onto the table by Lucius Malfoy, who began to kiss him violently. The food that had previously occupied their position was pushed in the direction of the Slytherins' laps. Before it could reach, however, the food changed into mosquitoes, which swarmed them, biting and blood sucking.

The rest of the Hall just stared at the scene in front of them. Slytherins were screeching and scratching and trying to run away from the mosquitoes, which only followed them. This went on for a few more minutes, by which time Snape was feeling up Malfoy.

Then, a large amount of water from no one knows where doused the Slytherins, and the bugs vanished. A confused Snape pushed a confused Malfoy off of him, and Rodolphus punched Regulus in the nose.

The clouds on the enchanted ceiling now read

_Courtesy of the Marauders. Thank you ,Hogwarts!_

People were laughing now, as the four unknowingly snogging students heard what had happened. The four boys sitting around me beamed with pride. But I noticed their eyes weren't satisfied. More was coming.

And come it did. Not five minutes after 'Round One', the Slytherins began to provide more entertainment. All of them at once rose from their seats and began to prance around the table. I just shook my head as Regulus and Malfoy began to twirl like ballerinas. But when the rest of them suddenly had signs on their backs that said 'All Hail Marauders', we cracked up.

The show concluded and the victims sat back down, glaring at the Marauders and pulling signs off their backs. But every time they pulled one off, a new one appeared in its place.

No one, not even the professors, could figure out how to remove the signs for a while. But, to the Marauders' dismay, the Charms professor figured it out at the last second, just as we were to leave for the train. I didn't think it was a big deal. The prank would be remembered and for now it was the talk of the school. I left the Hall, and the castle, in high spirits.

Before turning a corner, I looked back just once.

"It's been real, Hogwarts," I whispered.

On the train, you used Remus' owl to send a note to Dumbledore. It said, simply,

Yes.

The train ride, our last, was filled with reminiscing and talk of future plans.

Natalie and I planned on being roommates in an apartment she'd rented at the beginning of the month. Sirius had his own place, as did Remus, and Peter was going to be living with his mother. James and Lily planned on living together.

Me, Sirius, and James started Auror training the following week. I was looking for a job that could support me until I graduated. Lily had applied for a secretarial job at the Ministry, and Nat was going into Healer training, a two month program that led to a job at St. Mungo's. Peter was planning on looking for a job in the weeks to come, and Remus was looking forward to a job in Flourish and Blott's. The manager's son was a werewolf, and had offered Remus work when he'd heard. Plus, it was the perfect job for bookish Remus, who I'd now taken to calling Professor Lupin. He'd laughed the first time I'd said it, but it stuck.

The ride to King's Cross Station was over too soon, and I struggled to keep from tearing once more as I pulled my trunk off of the train and through the barrier, my friends and Sirius not far behind.


	48. Sleepover

Auror training was hard. Every day we dueled and mixed potions and learned the ways of dark wizard detection and catching. On top of that were the character and aptitude tests that were frequently administered. The Ministry was taking no chances. Untrustworthy or under qualified wizards would not survive. Even I barely survived some days. From 6 AM to 6 PM I endured the vigorous mental and physical activity. By Saturday I only wanted to sleep and nurse my wounds.

But I couldn't. I had a job on weeknights and Saturdays so I could pay rent. Working at the Leaky Cauldron wasn't exactly my dream job, but the pay was fair and I didn't get hit on too often. Sirius didn't like me working there, but when he said so I reminded him that not everyone had a large inheritance from their Uncle Alphard. Then he shut up.

So six days a week, from 7 to 11 on week nights and from 8 to 4 on Saturdays, I waitressed and bartended.

The best thing was Coleen, a girl I'd met in Auror training that worked with me. She was Irish and pretty, with springy brown curls and freckles. She was also tough. And absolutely insane at times. We got along well from the start.

It was a Thursday night when James and Sirius walked in and sat at the bar. I finished taking the orders of the table I was at and walked over to them.

"Hey Kara," they greeted.

"What are you two doing here? I'm working."

"We came to get a drink," Sirius said. "That is why people come to bars." Or to check up on their girlfriends, I thought.

"Ok then, what can I get you?"

"I'll take a firewhisky," James said. Sirius ordered a butterbeer and I left to grab the drinks.

Sirius and James had come about half an hour before closing, so they stuck around until I was ready to leave.

"Good night Coleen!" I called as I prepared to Apparate home.

"'Night!"

"Come to my place," Sirius whispered an instant before Disapparating.

"Ok then," I said to myself, "not like I have a choice now." Not like I minded. Being so busy, we never got to be alone together. So I Apparated to Sirius' apartment.

"Hey love," he greeted as he hugged me from behind. I turned around to face him, putting my arms around his neck.

"Hi," I said quietly before pulling him in to me. He slipped his tongue in my mouth immediately and the two of us ended up on the couch in a passionate make out session.

"I've missed you," Sirius said breathlessly into my ear.

"We see each other every day," I giggled, although I knew what he meant. The closest we'd gotten all week was sitting next to each other during a briefing. And that had been on Monday.

"You know what I mean, Kara."

"I know. I miss you too. But we knew this would be hard."

"Yes, but I wish there was a way I could see you more often."

"You'll see me tomorrow night at the meeting."

"I know, but after the meeting you'll be going to your flat and me to mine. Unless you want to stay here?" He was joking, but I considered it.

"As long as you promise not to try anything I don't see why not."

"Really?" I nodded. "I swear I won't try a thing."

"But remember I have to get out early Saturday morning. Work at 8."

"Okay."

"How about Sunday? Do you want to do something for a couple of hours?"

"Don't you need to sleep?"

"I need to see you even more." He raised his eyebrows. "You worry too much. We'll do something for a little while in the afternoon. I'll sleep before and after and be fresh as a daisy for Monday morning."

"You promise you'll sleep enough?"

"Yes."

"Then what would you like to do?"

"I don't know. Anything's good."

"How about lunch?"

"You buying?"

"Of course."

"Lunch, then. Then you can come back to my place."

"But whatever shall we do there?" Sirius asked with a grin.

"I don't know. I thought we'd bake some cookies. Or we could dust. I'm pretty sure there'll be some dirty dishes to do, if we're feeling adventurous."

"Sounds great." I yawed and closed my eyes, still underneath Sirius.

"Yeah." And before I knew it, I was asleep.


	49. Constant Vigilance

"Kara. Kara." I started awake. Sirius was standing over me, a plate of waffles in his hand. "Morning love."

"Did I fall asleep here?" I asked, taking in my surroundings.

"Yes."

"You could have woken me up."

"But you looked so cute."

"Thanks."

"Of course." He kissed me and set the waffles down in front of me.

"I owled Nat and told her where you were. You can Apparate home and change and then go to the Ministry!"

"Sounds great," I said between bites. "Thanks, Sirius."

"You're welcome."

I arrived at the Ministry as exactly 6 am. Sirius smiled at me from across the room.

"Hey Kara!" Coleen greeted sleepily, walking over to me.

"Morning."

"Friday at last!"

"I know."

"You workin' tonight?"

"Only until 10."

"Closing by myself, then. Oh, well. I'll get all the cute guys to myself." I laughed.

"They're all yours."

"Oh, that's right, you've got Black. I wouldn't want anybody else if he was mine, either."

Mad Eye Moony, the Auror who trained us, walked in.

He explained the morning's exercise, reminding us that speed, skill, and constant vigilance would be needed to complete it.

Separated into two groups, we were taken to a room that appeared to be a forest at nighttime.

We would be put in, and strategize. Then we'd split up and try to hit as many people from the opposite side as we could. (It's like magical laser tag.)

My team, the Aurors, would turn the shirts of the Dark Wizards, the team Sirius was on, green, and they would turn ours red. When we were hit we'd move to the sides of the course.

The game started. It was only five on five, and it lasted for twenty minutes before anyone was hit.

After that it went faster. I hit both James and Coleen within fifteen minutes. Before I knew it, only me and one other person were left.

I snuck back through the trees, looking for whomever it was that had survived as long as I had. Careful not to make a sound, I hid behind a tree and waited. They'd come to me eventually.

It was ten minutes before they came into my line of sight. I sighed inwardly. I'd rather push them against a tree and snog them than turn them green. But I pointed my wand and muttered the spell, and Sirius Black's shirt lit up.

He looked towards me as I stepped out from my hiding place. I smiled sheepishly and he held out his hand. I shook it as the trees around us disappeared to reveal our classmates and Moody.

"Nice job, Kara," Sirius congratulated, dropping my hand.

"Thanks. You too."

"Well done O'Connell," Moody began. "Black, you had it until the end, when you let your guard down. Constant vigilance! You stop paying attention for even a second and you're dead, and you might take everyone else with you." Sirius nodded, as did everybody else.

And then it was back to the room we were in earlier to concoct a potion to change our hair color.

coleen and I headed to work immediately after training.

"Nice one this morning, Kara."

"Thanks."

"Poor Black didn't know what hit him!" I laughed.

"I'm sure he didn't like it when he found out, either. Getting beat by his girlfriend."

"I'll bet he didn't care too much."

"No? Wow. Most guys would. He's quite the catch. And probably really good in bed, too, eh?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I wouldn't know," I answered honestly. Her eyes went wide.

"Really? Dang, girl, you've gotta find out!"

"Maybe eventually."

"How long have you been dating?"

"A little over eight months."

"And still no sex?"

"Nope."

"Is he too small?"

"I don't know." Her eyes went wider.

"You haven't seen him naked? Send him over to my house if you don't want him!" I rolled my eyes.

"Don't you have enough guys on your hands?" She smiled sheepishly.

"You're probably right." We had entered the Leaky Cauldron.

After a quick bite to eat, we got to work. The pub was swamped, and I felt guilty leaving Coleen there alone for the hour until closing. But the Order meeting couldn't be skipped.

"Bye Col! See you Monday!" She waved and I Apparated to Order HQ.

I was the last one to arrive. Quickly taking the only available seat, next to Alice Longbottom, I waited for Dumbledore to begin the meeting.

"I am afraid that there has not been much new intelligence in the past week…" Dumbledore briefed us on what had been discovered, and we were free to go.

"Are we still on for tonight?" Sirius asked quietly. I nodded, yawning. Surviving on less than five hours of sleep a night all week never got any easier.

"Hey, Nat, I'm going to spend the night at Sirius', ok?" she nodded, smiling.

"Two nights in a row?"

"Yes."

"What's going on."

"Nothing. I fell asleep last night, and tonight we're going to catch up."

"Catch up?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes. I'll see you tomorrow morning before work."

"Alright. Hey Kat," she added as I started to walk away, "Make sure you get some sleep. You're not looking so good."

"I will. And tomorrow night and Sunday I'll catch up, ok?" She nodded, still worried.

I talked with Lily, Remus, and Peter for a couple of minutes before Apparating to Sirius's.


	50. I Love You

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Long week," he commented.

"Yeah."

"That meeting was useless."

"I know. That's what scares me. Every week there's less and less information on what he's doing and who he's recruiting."

"Don't worry love. It's only a matter of time before Dumbledore finds something."

"Yeah." He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my neck.

"Let's just relax tonight, okay? You're tired, and you don't need to worry right now."

"Yes, sir," I submitted sarcastically.

"Sir. I could get used to that."

"Don't."

"Okay." We sat down together on the couch.

"So what do you want to do?"

"I can think of a couple things…" he trailed off, pulling me on top of him and enveloping me in a passionate kiss. He flipped on top of me and I slid my tongue into his mouth. He moaned as I ran my hands through his hair, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened and Sirius rested a hand on my bare stomach, pushing the material of my shirt up to my bra.

"I love you, Kara," he whispered when I came up for a breath moments later.

"I love you too Sirius." He kissed my neck and I wrapped my legs around him. I just wanted to be as close to him as possible. I still felt too far away. I wanted him to touch me, I wanted to feel him. This fabric in between us couldn't stay.

I guided his hand up my shirt and on to my breast. He looked up at me, and I pulled his lips back onto mine. Not needing to be told twice, he explored the new territory as I unbuttoned his shirt.

He slid off my shirt and unhooked my bra. I moaned as he kissed and massaged my breasts.

Next came the pants, and then the quickly cast contraceptive charm. And there, on Sirius' couch, we made love.

I woke up the next morning in Sirius' bed, naked. At first I was confused but then the last night's events came flooding back to me.

Sirius came in to the room just then.

"Morning!" I said cheerily. He jumped.

"You're awake, then."

"Yes."

"Good. You've got to get ready for work."

"What time is it?"

"6:45."

"I've got a few minutes."

"Well in that case!" He came over and kissed me deeply, pulling away only when I moaned in pleasure. "Last night was amazing, Kara." I nodded my agreement.

"It was. I love you."

"I love you, too." I yawned, and concern crept into his eyes. "I should have let you sleep. You-"

"You're saying I should have gone to bed instead of having sex with you?"

"Kara, you're tired. You need your rest."

"Sirius, I'm fine. I loved last night and I wouldn't trade it for five days of sleep. Plus, I only have work until four today. Then I'll go home and get some rest."

"You'd better. I don't even want to hear from you until at least this time tomorrow."

"Okay." I lay in silence for awhile, until I had to leave.

"I'd better go."

"Yeah."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye!" I Apparated to my apartment to get ready for another day at the Leaky Cauldron.


	51. Invitation Preparation

"Morning Nat!" I greeted. My friend was sitting in the tiny kitchen eating cereal.

"You look happy this morning." I blushed unintentionally. "Kara! What happened?" She pulled me over to the table and sat me down.

"I have to go to work."

"Not until you tell me!"

"Can't it wait?"

"No! Now tell me!" Did you have sex?" I nodded, wincing as she screeched. "We have to tell Lily!"

"After work!" Before she could answer I ran to your room to shower and dress.

When I came out to the kitchen, Lily and Nat were waiting for me.

"Hi Lily!"

"Hey!" We hugged; I saw her less than Sirius.

"So Nat asked you over to force details out of me?"

"Basically."

"Tell us!" Nat yelled impatiently.

"I can't right now. Besides, I don't want to describe it to you."

"Okay, fair enough. You don't regret it though, do you?"

"No, why would I?"

"So you had a nice time."

"Yes, you could say that. I'm gonna go now." I Disapparated as Lily prepared to ask another question.

I shook your head when I arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. Questions, questions.

At 4:01 Saturday afternoon, I arrived back home. As always, I was yawning. I changed quickly into pajamas and fell into bed.

I knew it wasn't good for me, sleep deprived during the week, and then catching up on the weekends, but I didn't have a choice.

On Sunday morning I woke up, feeling refreshed but still tired. Lily poked her head in my room.

"Good, you're up!"

"It seem that way."

"Do you want to help Nat and I with the wedding invitations?"

"Yeah! I'll be right out."

"Great." She closed the door and I stretched, getting out of bed.

"Morning," I greeted Nat, going to the fridge for an orange juice.

"Sleep well?"

"Yeah," I yawned.

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to sleep?"

"Yes. I can sleep later. Your wedding is more important, and we haven't talked in forever." I sat at the table.

"Okay, here's what to do…" For the next two hours we prepared invitations and sent them. As the owls were working, Lily showed me wedding dress sketches and flower arrangements. It was like old times; we talked and joked and got caught up with everyone else's lives.

"I like my job," Lily said when the conversation turned to work.

"That's good. But I never see you," I said. "You should take a lunch hour with me once in a while."

"Okay. Just let me know when."

"Can do. So how about you Nat? How's Healer life treating you?"

"I love it. Actually working is much better than training."

"Rub it in! I've still got two years and seven months to go," I said miserably.

"That's a long time," Lily agreed.

"Especially when you're not sleeping right," Nat added.

"What else am I suppose to do? I need to work."

"So take three nights a week and Saturdays at the Leaky Cauldron," Nat proposed. "If you aren't making enough I can always cover the rent."

"I can't let you do that."

"Yes you can. I'm your friend, and I'm making more than enough money. And you could swing it with three nights a week."

"Probably," I conceded. "I'll check into it." I knew I probably wouldn't check into it; I didn't want to live off Nat.

"I bet you won't, but please think about it," she urged.

"I will," I assured her.

"Good."

"I can't believe you're getting married in a few months, Lil!" I exclaimed, changing the subject.

"I know. I'm so excited!" And we returned to conversations about champagne and music.

At around two o'clock, I heard the distinctive CRACK of someone Apparating. Still at the table with my friends, I turned to see Sirius standing in my living room.

"You forgot about me!" he accused.

"What did I forget?" I asked, feeling guilty for not remembering whatever it was.

"Lunch? Remember?" Oh yeah.

"Sorry! We were mailing wedding invitations." Sirius seemed to notice Nat and Lily for the first time.

"Oh I get it. You'd rather bum around in your pajamas with these two all day than go out to lunch with your boyfriend?" I nodded.

"Basically, yeah." He smiled.

"Hey Nat, Lily."

"Hi Sirius," Lily returned.

"So you've been keeping Kara busy at night lately," Nat said conversationally.

"Nat!" I chastised as Sirius nodded uncertainly.

"What? Just making small talk." I laughed.

"Do you want to join us Sirius?" Lily offered.

"Yeah, sure." He took a seat next to the one I sat in, intertwining his fingers with mine. I leaned my head on his shoulder as Lily went back to explaining seating arrangements.

"You're talking about this?" Sirius interrupted, "I would have declined." I smacked his arm playfully.

"Be quiet and listen. Important, this stuff is." He raised his eyebrows incredulously, and Lily continued.


	52. Merlin, I'm Getting Married!

It was December 15th. James and Lily's wedding day. I had taken the Saturday off of work, and now me, Nat, and Mrs. Evans were in Lily's bedroom, helping her get ready for her big day. She was nervous. She couldn't stop talking, and she was wringing her hands.

"Lily, you have to calm down," I said soothingly, taking her hands in my own. "Everything will be perfect." She nodded.

"I know. But what if I'm making a mistake?" I smiled.

"James Potter is a great man. He loves you, you love him. You're going to marry someone who adores you, and who has wanted only you for the last eight years. Nothing will go wrong. You two will be happy for the rest of your lives. You are not making a mistake." I said sternly. She was smiling now, tears in her eyes.

"You're right. He's great. Thank you so much!" She hugged me. "I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"Lily, you're going to wrinkle your dress," I said, not wanting to cry.

"Oh, right." She pulled away. She wiped her eyes carefully, and it was back to business. "Do you have your speech?" As Maid of Honor, I was supposed to give one.

"Yes," I lied through your teeth. I meant to write one, but I had been so busy. I'd have to wing it.

"Good. What time is it?"

"9:45. We'd better go," Mrs. Evans said.

"Thanks mum."

"Ready?" Nat asked, walking into the room with three bouquets. We all nodded as she handed us our flowers, keeping one for herself.

"I'm getting married," Lily said suddenly, grinning. "Merlin! I'm getting married!" Me and Nat joined her in an excited jumping/squealing session. After a careful group hug, we Apparated to the chapel where the ceremony would be.

The room to stay in until we walked down the aisle was pleasant. It was a white room, and the sun pouring through the windows made it cheerful. White flowers were placed around the room, on top of the dark wooden surfaces. We sat on a single emerald couch, Lily's white gown contrasting the dark maroon of mine and Nat's dresses. My bouquet of pink flowers sat on my lap, my high heeled feet tapping nervously.

"5 minutes, girls," Mr. Potter announced, entering the room. Lily's father, as well as James' mother, had passed away in 4th year, so Mr. Potter was giving Lily away. Lily acknowledged the time with a nod and stood up. Nat and I followed her lead.

Peter and Remus were standing just outside the rear of the chapel, waiting. I could see James and Sirius standing by the altar, the former shifting in anticipation.

I admired the chapel's beauty once more. It was small, with light yellow walls and beautiful stained glass windows. The wooden pews were filled to the brim with people, from Dumbledore to McGonagall to my own parents.

"Can't we just start?" I heard Lily snap irritably. I walked over to her.

"Deep breaths, Lily-kins." She did as I said. "Remember, there's nothing to worry about." She nodded. "Now, are you ready to get married?"

"Yes." We grinned at each other.

"Then let's get this show on the road!" At that moment the music keyed up, and Remus held his arm out to Natalie. She took it, and they walked through the open doors and up the aisle, parting at the front. Peter and I followed the same routine.

When I'd positioned yourself next to Nat, 'Here Comes the Bride" cued up, and Lily and Mr. Potter stepped into view. I heard James gasp, and Lily smiled at him. As she walked towards the altar with James' dad, they didn't break eye contact at all. Mr. Potter hugged her and sat down as Lily handed her bouquet to me.

The ceremony was short but really nice; I smiled the whole time, from beginning to end, during their vows and their ring exchange and their first kiss as husband and wife.

They exited the chapel, followed by me and Sirius, and then Remus, Nat, and Peter, and finally the guests.


	53. The Best Man Speech

The reception hall looked beautiful; all those conversations about flowers and place settings had definitely paid off. The white cloth-covered tables had ten plates each, along with champagne glasses, and flowers in the middle.

I sat down at the table for the wedding party. As the rest of the guests filed in, you talked with Sirius.

"You look very nice," he complimented.

"You don't look so bad yourself. I like the tux." He smiled.

"Me too. We need more formal occasions to go to."

"Well, I'd like my jeans back."

"Don't worry, you look just as beautiful in this dress as you do in jeans."

"Thank you." He grinned.

"It's the truth, love." He was about to kiss me when we heard a voice behind us.

"Hello, Kara." Your mother.

"Hey mom!" True, we worked/ trained in the same building, but I still hadn't seen her in over a month. She hugged me.

"Hello Sirius! How are you doing?"

"Very well, Mrs. O'Connell. How are you?"

"I'm lovely. You're watching over my daughter I trust. Not letting those boys get too close?" Sirius raised his eyebrows at me.

"Mom, I'm dating Sirius. I told you that."

"But that was over a year ago!"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't think you'd still be going out."

"We are." Your mom smiled.

"And you said he was gay."

"Mom, I was joking!" But she and Sirius were laughing.

"So, then, you treat her well?" Sirius nodded. "He treats her well?" your mom posed the question to the rest of the table.

Nat and Peter nodded, but Remus said, "I've never seen Kara happier." Me, Sirius, and my mother smiled.

"Well, I'd better go sit down," she said, satisfied.

"Talk to you later Mrs. O.!" Sirius called.

"Thanks, Remus."

"It's only the truth." I smiled again. It sure was.

Lily and James were announced by the band, and they entered the hall, grinning as the song to which they'd have their first dance as a married couple began to play.

I watched them dance; they had eyes only for each other. They spun around, lovesick smiles on their faces.

"They are so cute," Nat said.

"Yeah," I agreed. Sirius, Remus, and Peter remained silent.

When the dance ended, James and Lily sat themselves down, with Lily next to me.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" I whispered.

"No. Thanks again, Kar," she whispered back.

"Any time. Not that you'll need that particular speech again." She smiled.

"Let's hope not."

"What are you two whispering about?" James asked.

"I was just telling Lily how dashing you looked on this fine day," I answered innocently.

"I'm sure you were," he said incredulously.

"You two do realize that you're supposed to be dancing with your parents now, right?" Nat butt in.

"Whoops!" they said together, getting up to dance.

"They always were smart ones," Peter said sarcastically, causing us all to laugh.

"Would you like to dance?" Sirius asked as the band invited everyone to join in.

"I suppose," I said with mock boredom seeping into my voice. He grinned as he pulled me up and led me out on to the floor.

"I love you," he said as we danced.

"I know," I responded. I could feel him frown.

"That's not the response I was looking for."

"I know. But I had a major Han Solo moment!" He laughed. "I love you, too," I added.

"Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah." He pulled me closer to him, and we danced on in silence, enjoying his arms around me.

When the song ended, James and Lily tangoed their way over, making me laugh.

"May we cut in?" James asked, still cheek to cheek with Lily.

"Yes." I allowed James to lead me around the floor.

"You look happy," I remarked.

"I am. All those years she hated me…I knew she'd come around." I gave a short laugh.

"I'm glad she did, James. She really loves you."

"I love her too. So much."

"It shows. I'm happy for you two."

"Well, you and Sirius are next, yeah?" My eyes went wide.

"What do you mean? Has he said something?"

"Relax, Kara, I was only asking." I let out a breath.

"Good. I'm not ready for marriage quite yet."

"Neither is Padfoot. But you sure do make him happy." I smiled, but said nothing, instead watching him laughing with Lily across the dance floor.

"You know, you look at him the same way that I look at Lily," James pointed out.

"Like I'm in love?"

"Yes."

"I am."

"Good. Padfoot deserves someone as great as you."

"Thanks, James. Sometimes I think he should be with someone who can spend more time with him."

"Kara," James began seriously. "He'd rather be with you for an hour a day than spend the entire day with anyone else."

"I know, but-"

"No buts. He loves you, you love him. End of story."

"Yes sir."

"You know I'm right. You'll never let him go."

"I don't intend to." The song ended with a flourish, and we returned to our seats.

Lunch was served after several more dances.

"Having fun?" Nat asked the newlyweds.

"Very much," Lily said.

"What she said," James replied.

"Good." We all ate our lunches, enjoying the fact that we were all together. This had only happened at Order meetings since we'd left school.

"We've got to go mingle," Lily said, reluctantly rising. James followed. They stopped at each table, chatting with friends and family.

"So, our place for Christmas, yeah?" Nat said. Everyone nodded.

"Christmas eve, right? We'll do Christmas day at my flat," Sirius said.

"Sounds great," Nat agreed. I filled James and Lily in on the plans; they'd be back from their honeymoon just in time.

People had finished their meals. It was toast time.

Lily nodded to me to start, so I stood. Everyone's eyes were on me.

"Lily, please don't kill me, but I didn't make a speech like you told me to." Lily rolled her eyes and everyone laughed. "I have to admit that for awhile, I never thought this day would come. The day that Lily Evans would marry the despised James Potter. But I'm really glad you did, Lil. He's a really great guy, and I've never seen two people so in love. It's a good thing you gave him a chance." Lily smiled at James.

"Ever since first year, James knew he wanted you. Even though you called him names and spit in his hair and put him in detention he kept at it. He never gave up. Even after that incident with the Charms book," Lily blushed, remembering when she'd thrown one at him and knocked him out, "he didn't let you go. And that's because James Potter knows a good thing when he sees it, or when she slaps him in the face. You're lucky to have him. And James, we both know that my best friend deserves only the best." He nodded, smiling. "Make sure you keep giving it to her, okay?" Another nod. "I know you will." I addressed both of them, "The two of you are two of the best people I know. You're loyal, brave, determined, and compassionate. Use those qualities in your marriage, like in everything else you do, and you'll be together forever. I love you guys so much. Congratulations." Everyone clapped and sipped their champagne, and Lily dabbed at her eyes with a napkin. Sirius stood for the best man speech.

"I, unlike some people," he gave me a pointed look, "Prepared a speech." There were chuckles throughout the hall. "But I won't be using it. James, you're my brother. I don't need something that's rehearsed. Since our first day on the train, we've been best friends. You were also the first friend I ever had. I don't know if you knew that. You were the first person to care about me, and the first person I cared about. I'll never forget how grateful I was that you asked to sit in my compartment. And since that day I've never been a bit less thankful to have you as a friend. And your parents as well. They've been more like parents to me than anyone. They took care of me and took me in, and they cared about me. Your dad's still one of the best men I know. I never thought I was worth anything until I met your family. I never knew what love was until I saw the way your family was to each other, the way they were to me." He wiped his eyes. "I don't know why I'm telling you this now; maybe because it's gone too long without being said. But Merlin, Prongsie, I wouldn't be who I am today without you. I guess I just wanted to let you know, not just you, Lily, but everybody here, how lucky you are to know the Potters." No one clapped as he sat down; everyone was too busy wiping their eyes.

Sirius looked over at me and brushed my tears away with his thumb. I smiled at him, fresh tears replacing the ones he'd abolished.

"That was really nice," I said quietly. He rubbed his own eyes and sniffed.

"It's only the truth." He glanced around for the first time. "Did I make everyone cry?" I nodded.

A shadow fell over me and I saw James behind us. Sirius stood back up and they embraced, like the brothers they had been for the better part of their lives.

"I love you, man," James said quietly.

"I love you too, Prongsie." I was the only one that heard.

"Should I be worried?" I joked. They laughed.

"I think you can sleep soundly," James responded, hugging you as well.

"Good. Because we all know I need my beauty rest!" He smiled and sat back down next to a tearful Lily. That girl was so emotional!

The reception hall was silent for a few minutes. I leaned my head on Sirius' shoulder, his chin resting on the top of my head.

"That was quite the speech, Pads," Remus said quietly. "Mr. Potter's a mess." I looked over at James' dad, who was crying into a handkerchief. But he looked very proud. He got up and walked over to Sirius. I lifted my head.

"Sirius, I think that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about my family. Just remember, son, that you're one of us." Sirius looked as though he would cry all over again as Mr. Potter clapped him on the back and went back to his seat.


	54. Advice For Peter

A half an hour after the toast, it was as if the solemn moments had never taken place.

The band had started to play again and in no time the party was in full swing. Me, Nat, and Lily danced together as we had in school; even Dumbledore and McGonagall danced the electric slide. The Marauders were laughing too hard to participate themselves.

Another slow song began to play and my dad walked over to where Sirius and I danced.

"Beat it kid," he said with a smile, and I moved from my boyfriend's arms to my father's.

"Hi daddy."

"Hello, my Kar Bear."

"Having fun?"

"Yes I am. Lily looks gorgeous. So do you and Natalie. So different from the eleven year old girls who used to run around having pillow fights." I smiled.

"We still do that from time to time."

"My point is that you're all grown up."

"I guess so."

"That boy really likes you."

"I know."

"I like him."

"You've never liked anyone I dated."

"I like him," he repeated.

"Thanks, dad."

"So how's training?" he changed the subject.

"Hard," I answered honestly.

"Is it worth all the time and effort, not to mention the lack of sleep?"

"Definitely," I answered without pausing.

"I'm glad you like it so much."

"Me too." The song ended; I giggled as my dad bowed and returned to my mom.

Sirius was chatting with some old school friends, so I decided to go sit down. But I saw Peter, already there, alone, so I got a better idea.

"Hey Petey, come and dance with me," I demanded.

"Oh, no, I'm not much of a dancer."

"It's a wedding. You have to dance. Get up." He did as I said, and I pulled him out onto the floor. "This isn't so hard, right?" I asked as we stepped lightly around the dance floor.

"No, not really."

"I'm sorry Allison couldn't come. It's too bad she's still in school."

"It wouldn't have mattered anyway. She broke up with me."

"What? When?"

"A couple of days ago. She said there was some guy in her year that she liked."

"That's terrible. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want to put a damper on the wedding."

"Peter, you should have said something. I'm so sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. There's sort of this girl at the office-"

"What's her name?" I cut him off.

"Jennifer."

"Is she pretty?"

"Very."

"So how often do you two talk?"

"Not very."

"Ask her to lunch with you or something."

"I don't know…"

"What's the worst that could happen? She says no? So what! Then you can let me set you up." He looked scared at that thought.

"Alright, I'll ask her to lunch next week."

"Good. Tell me how it goes."

"I will." I danced with Peter for a few more minutes, talking about work and all the little things we hadn't caught up on in a while. It was nice talking to him; I felt like I never saw him. I told him so, and all he said was "You're a busy person."

The reception carried on for hours, and yet I still didn't want it to end. For a day we'd all been carefree; Voldemort and fatigue and training were all pushed aside. I wanted it to stay that way for just a little longer. Not that I minded going home with Sirius that night…

Lily and James had their honeymoon in Paris. They were only gone for four days; James couldn't miss more training nor Lily more work, but they came home looking happy and refreshed.

It was now Christmas Eve. I was looking forward to having my friends gather at our apartment tonight, and at Sirius' tomorrow.

Training finally ended; it had seemed to go on forever, as it was your last day until January 2nd. This was my first time having a vacation from Auror training, and I couldn't wait. Sure, I'd still be working nights and Saturdays at the Leaky Cauldron, but I'd be free all day.

I quickly Apparated home, where Nat was rushing around to get ready for company. I helped her to stick the food in the oven and push the old newspapers under the couch before going to change.

I came back out into the kitchen/ living room a few minutes later, now wearing a dark red turtleneck with a pair of light blue jeans. My hair was pulled back in a sparkly green and red hair tie, and your feet were bare. Nat had gone into her room to change; she was still getting ready when the doorbell rang.

I opened the door to see Lily and James waiting to be let inside.

"Hey guys! Merry Christmas!" I hugged them both in greeting.

"Happy Christmas Kara!" James said brightly as he stepped into your apartment. Lily, however, didn't follow him.

"I need to talk to you and Nat," she whispered anxiously.

"Now?" She nodded. "Okay." I walked past James and knocked on Nat's door.

"Come in!" she called, and I pushed open the door. "Hey Lily!" Nat greeted happily. Lily remained silent, wringing her hands.

"What is it, Lil?" I asked her. I was getting worried; she normally loved Christmas.

She opened her mouth to tell me, but the doorbell rang once again.

"James, get that!" I yelled, and turned back to Lily.

"Well?"

"I'm pregnant."


	55. Introducing Jennifer

Lily looked down at her feet.

"You're what?"

"Pregnant!" she repeated, bursting into tears.

"Lil, don't cry. You're pregnant. That's great!" I comforted her.

"You're not happy?" Nat asked.

"Of course I am!" Lily sobbed. "But what if James isn't?" She buried her face in her hands. I lifted her chin so she was looking at me.

"Lily, I don't want to be harsh, but you're being stupid. James will be thrilled."

"He loves you and he'll love that fact that you're going to have a baby," Nat added.

"You think so?" Lily looked hopeful.

"We know so," Nat and I said together. Lily smiled and hugged us.

"Thanks guys. I don't know what I was thinking." She wiped her eyes.

I began to ponder what it would be like when Lily had a baby, when I remembered something.

"Lily," I began, "you and James have only been married for a couple of weeks. How pregnant are you?" She blushed.

"2 ½ months."

"Oh. Ok."

"Why? Oh my God, I'm a slut!" Her eyes filled once more with tears.

"Lily Evans – I mean, Potter!" I shouted. "You are not a slut! You're the farthest thing from it! You've slept with one man, who you're married to. So what if you got pregnant and married in the wrong order? You've done both, no one cares. Least of all James. Now pick your head up, dry your eyes, have fun tonight, and tell James the great news first thing in the morning. Okay?" She nodded and did as I said. The doorbell rang for the third time as we exited Nat's bedroom.

I opened the door for Sirius, who pulled me into him, while Nat and Lily sat down with Remus and James.

Sirius and I were standing on the small porch outside. He reached over and closed the door.

"Happy Christmas love."

"Back at 'ya," I returned as he leaned in to kiss me. I jerked my head back. "I have to get back to my guests, Mr. Black. I don't have time for this."

"I'm your guest," he retorted, kissing me roughly. I kissed back, letting him warm me in the cold air.

We didn't break apart until we heard a knock on the door from inside.

"Is the happy couple ready to come back to the party?" Remus' voice teased. Sirius scowled as his friend opened the door and ushered us back inside.

Nat was handing out steaming mugs of hot chocolate, which was, in her opinion, the most important food group.

"Happy Christmas, everyone!" Sirius called. A chorus of 'same to you' and 'Happy Christmas' returned his greeting.

I sat on one of the two couches, Sirius next to me.

"Cocoa?" Nat asked, handing me some before I could answer.

"Thank you, Natty," She nodded, giving Sirius a mug.

Then it hit me. My best friend was having a baby. I couldn't hold in my excitement.

"Oh my God, Lily!" I exclaimed happily.

"Can I talk to you again?" she asked. The three of us slipped into my room.

"I'm having a baby!" she said happily. We all screeched and jumped up and down.

"Can we contain our excitement until tomorrow?" Lily asked, looking pointedly at me.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"What was that about?" Sirius asked quietly as I settled back in next to him.

"Nothing." Nat and Lily were being similarly questioned.

"Where's Peter?" Remus asked when the guys realized we weren't answering them.

"He said he'd be a little late. He's bringing that girl, Jennifer, from work."

"I wonder what she's like," Nat mused.

"Hopefully she's someone good for Peter. He needs that," Lily added.

"He needs to get here," James countered.

"What's so pressing?" Nat asked. "It's not like we have anything to do."

"Yeah, but he's like half an hour late."

"That's Wormtail for you," Sirius said.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon. Then your separation anxiety can subside and we'll all have a nice evening," I said, quieting the boys.

We sat and chatted for another ten minutes until the doorbell rang.

Nat let in Peter and a tall, dark haired woman. I studied her quickly as the greetings and introductions began. She wasn't exactly pretty, nor was she ugly. Her features were on the plainer side. No laughter shone in her brown eyes, and her beautiful chestnut hair was pulled back in a severe bun.

"Hi Jennifer," I held out my hand, standing, "I'm Kara. It's nice to meet you." She shook my outstretched hand quickly.

"It's nice to meet you as well."

"Hey Jennifer, would you like some cocoa?" Nat had asked soon after she and Peter arrived.

"I don't ingest chocolate. At all," she'd said with a sneer.

I wished Allison was here, with her happy smile and friendly nature.

Jennifer was uptight. She didn't laugh at anyone's jokes. By the end of the night all I knew about her was that she was from Scotland and she hated blond jokes, Quidditch, and cocoa.

An evening that should have been happy and relaxed was stiff and uncomfortable.

Jennifer, with Peter in tow, left at 10.

"I have a five o'clock workout tomorrow," she'd explained as they rushed out the door.

"On Christmas?" Sirius asked once they were gone.

"I don't think she liked us very much," I said.

"I don't think I liked her very much!" Remus countered.

"At least she's not coming tomorrow morning," Lily pointed out.

"What do you want to do now?" Sirius asked.

"Drink," James answered. With a flick of his wand, a bottle of firewhiskey and 6 glasses appeared on the coffee table. He poured the alcohol in the cups and handed the first one to Lily.

"Oh, James, I really shouldn't," she protested.

"Come on, it's Christmas eve."

"No, no. I really don't want any."

"Are you sure?" James looked concerned. Lily never turned down a drink.

"I'm sure." He offered the firewhiskey to me.

"Thanks James," I said, taking it. Everyone else grabbed a glass, and James got Lily a cup of apple cider, which she was suddenly craving.

"I'd like to make a toast," Remus said formally, tapping his glass with a spoon. We all laughed but held up our drinks. "This," he pointed to his glass, "is for all of us. And for being out of school for six months, and for staying friends, but mostly for not killing Jennifer just now when she said pranks were juvenile!"

"Hear, hear!" Sirius and James shouted, and we all drank.

I relaxed with my friends and another glass of firewhiskey. It was around 11:30 when everyone began to depart.

"Good night, Kar," Sirius said as he kissed me.

"See you tomorrow." He Disapparated. I hugged Lily.

"Tell him in the morning. It'll be the perfect Christmas present," I whispered. "And congratulations!"

"Thanks. I'll tell him." I thanked James for the firewhiskey and they left.

"Hey Kara?" Nat said from behind me.

"Hmm?"

"Do you mind if Remus spends the night?"

"Not at all, as long as you remember the Silencing Charm this time." They both blushed. "'Night kids!" I called from your room before closing the door.

"Good night!"


	56. Christmas Surprises

~*Lily's POV*~

I took a deep breath. And another, and another. Morning sickness. I'd been experiencing it for weeks now, and I couldn't wait until it stopped. So far pregnancy was a drag. But I knew it was worth it; I'd always wanted kids. I sat back on my knees, sweating. It was only a matter of time before another wave of nausea took over.

There was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Lily?" James' voice asked, "Are you alright?" But I couldn't answer; I was too busy leaning over the toilet. When he didn't get a response, James opened the door.

"Oh, lily, why didn't you tell me you were sick?" he asked gently as he rubbed my back. It was another couple of minutes before I could answer.

"I didn't want to wake you," came my weak reply.

"Nonsense." Are you alright?"

"I'm great," I answered honestly. "This'll pass."

"Can I make you some toast?"

"That would be great." I smiled as my husband rushed to the kitchen.

After one more round, I felt much better; good enough to go downstairs and tell James the news. I brushed my teeth, got dressed for Sirius', and made your way to the kitchen.

"Feeling better?" James asked, pulling out a chair for me and setting my toast down.

"Much." I took a big bite and turned back to James. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Are you breaking up with me?" he joked, making me smile.

"Actually it's quite the opposite." This got his attention; he sat down in the chair next to me and waited for me to continue. "I'm pregnant," yoIu said plainly. His jaw dropped.

"Pregnant?" he repeated. I nodded, waiting for the anger. Instead, a grin spread across his face. "Really?" I nodded again, now smiling as well. "That's great!" He hugged me. "Is it a girl or a boy?"

"I don't know," I answered.

"When can you find out? Can I tell the guys? Do Kara and Natalie know? I have to tell my dad! He'll be thrilled!" I laughed.

"James!" I exclaimed, stopping his ecstatic ramblings. "I don't know when we can find out if it's a boy or a girl, you can tell the guys whenever you want; I told Kara and Nat last night. We can tell your dad this afternoon when we see him."

"That's right, it's Christmas!" he kissed me passionately. "Happy Christmas, lily." Patting my stomach, he added, "you too, little one." With that, he raced upstairs to get dressed.

"Lily?" James began before we left.

"Yes?"

"How long have you known?" I gulped.

"About a month."

"Why didn't you tell me?" I shrugged. "We weren't married a month ago."

"I know."

"So when are you going to have the baby?"

"End of July." He kissed me again.

"I can't wait."

"Me either." We smiled at each other before Apparating to Sirius' apartment.

~*Kara's POV*~

I woke up early, so I could get to Sirius' before everyone else. Nat and Remus slept peacefully as I showered, dressed, and Apparated to my boyfriend's apartment for breakfast.

I found Sirius still asleep in his room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I kissed him softly. He returned the kiss as he woke up, pulling me down so I lay on top of him.

"Merry Christmas!" I said cheerfully when I broke away.

"Merry Christmas," he repeated back to me, stretching and getting up. I made myself comfortable, laying my head down on his warm pillow. "You should have stayed last night," Sirius said as he turned on the shower.

"No."

"Yes. We could have had a very nice time you know." I smiled.

"I know."

"How about tonight?" I considered.

"Let's see how it goes. Remember, we're going to my parents' for dinner."

"Well, we're not going to stay all night, are we?" he snapped.

"I just said we'll see when we finish dinner."

"Whatever." Rolling my eyes, I got up and went to the kitchen.

With a few flicks of my wand, breakfast started itself. I made a cup of steaming tea and drank it as I waited for Sirius.

Five minutes later he came out of his bedroom. His shaggy hair was still damp, and he wore tan pants with a dark green shirt.

"I'm sorry for being a prat," he said quietly.

"It's alright," I replied shortly.

"No, it's really not. I just thought we'd spend more time together during our week off."

"I want to spend time with you, too. And it's only our first day off. We'll do plenty of things together this week."

"That sounds wonderful."

"Doesn't it?" I kissed him, smiled, and put the finished breakfast on the table.

"This looks great. Thanks Kar."

"You're welcome."

We talked as we ate, analyzing Quidditch scores and players, and wondering who got what for whom. Sirius' doorbell rang just as I put the dishes in the sink and they started getting washed by the sponge.

"I'll get it," Sirius said, striding over to the door. He let in Remus and Natalie, whose cheeks were flushed from even a short time out in the December cold. The 'Happy Christmas' greeting started again, with me joining in as I crossed into the living room. Peter arrived shortly after, and we all waited for James and Lily to arrive so you could exchange gifts.

In the meantime, I looked around the tiny living room. It was painted a light blue, which had been on the walls before Sirius moved in. There was a Christmas tree in the corner, covered with decorations such as candy canes (which I liked to steal off the tree and eat) and ornaments. There were a few presents underneath the pine, which everyone piled up as they entered.

"Where the hell are Prongs and Lily?" Remus asked impatiently. Nat and I exchanged a look.

"I think they'll be a little late," I said, trying not to let the excitement I was feeling creep into my voice.

"They're already more than a little late," Remus growled.

"Okay, they'll be very late," I amend. "Why are you in such a bad mood, Professor?"

"I hate waiting," he said simply, turning his gaze once more to the door.

"Remus, you staring holes in the door isn't going to make them get here any faster. And I promise that when they come it'll have been worth the wait." He raised his eyebrows.

"We'll see." The doorbell rang. I jumped up.

"I'll get it!" I opened the door to James, who was grinning like an idiot, and Lily, whose smile was almost as big. "Merry Christmas!" I shouted, hugging them both.

"You too, Kara! Isn't it a wonderful morning?" James said as he swept into Sirius' living room. Remus' eyebrows were now raised even further.

"Yes, James, It's a beautiful morning!" Lily walked in and I closed the door. They greeted everyone, James itching to tell his friends the good news.

"James, just tell us what's going on before you explode," Sirius said.

"I'm having a baby!" he exclaimed happily. The guys looked puzzled.

"But you're a guy!" Sirius said, confused.

"Yeah, sorry to disappoint, Prongs, but you can't have a baby." Nat and I started to laugh as Remus backed Sirius up. James looked form one guy to the other, trying to figure out if they were joking or if they could possibly be that stupid. Once he figured out that it was, indeed, plausible, he clarified his previous statement.

"Not me, you dumb arses, Lily! Lily's having a baby!"

"Oh," they said in unison, understanding shining on their faces. Sirius spoke first.

"Holy shit, Prongsie, that's great!" He got up from the couch and hugged his best friend. "Congrats, Lily!" He embraced her as well.

"Thanks, Sirius," Lily said, glowing.

"This is great, Prongs, my man! We'll have a little one to teach all of our tricks to!" Remus said. Lily put her hands protectively over her stomach.

"You will not speak of corrupting my child before it's even born!" she scolded.

"Sorry, Lily," the guys apologized, hanging their heads.

"Is it a girl or boy?" Peter asked, hugging James and Lily as he asked.

"We don't know yet," Lily said.

"I hope it's a girl!" Nat exclaimed.

"It's definitely a boy," Sirius argued.

"Uh, guys? It is what it is, k? As long as it's healthy, right?" I stopped their argument.

"Right," they both said, nodding obediently.

"Good! Let's open presents!" I didn't have to say that twice. The room was soon a disaster area, with discarded wrapping paper everywhere. Everyone had finished with their gifts, except for Sirius. The Marauders had made him wait for whatever it was that they got him. By their mischievous smiles I knew I'd hate it.

"Ready for your gift, Pads?" James asked, kicking aside some paper that had landed on his shoe.

"I've been ready," Sirius answered. He hated waiting for things. I smiled at his excitement; he always acted like a little boy around the holidays. The Marauders led him outside, me and the girls following. And there, in the parking lot outside of your apartment complex, was…

A flying motorcycle. It was sleek and black, with shining silver handlebars and a black helmet sitting on the seat, sparkling in the morning sun. It was beautiful. I hated it. It was the perfect way for Sirius to hurt himself. I glanced over at my boyfriend, to find him staring at the gleaming motorcycle, eyes happy and surprised and mouth slightly open.

"Wow," he finally managed. The Marauders smiled.

"Happy Christmas, Pads!" they chorused. I shook my head.

"Can I ride it?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"It's yours, mate. You can do whatever you want with it." Sirius approached the bike slowly, almost as if it would disappear if he made any sudden movements. Frustrated, I called out,

"It's not going anywhere! Just touch the damn thing!" He shot a glare at me before finally closing the remainder of the distance between him and the motorcycle, running his hands over the smooth paint. I rolled my eyes. Maybe I should have stayed with him last night, if he was caressing a bike. "I'm going to ride it!" He announced, pulling the helmet on and mounting the-thing. Please don't let him get hurt, please don't let him get hurt, I prayed as he put the key in the ignition and took off. Once he was out of hearing range I rounded on the Marauders.

"What were you thinking?" I hissed, stepping threateningly towards them. Frightened, they took a step back. "That thing is dangerous! He could get hurt! You know he does stupid things!" I yelled. "Why? Why did you buy him that awful motorcycle?" James, being brave, spoke first.

"Because he's always wanted one? And we were sick of him ogling it every time he saw one in a magazine or in Diagon Alley." I sighed; Sirius had always wished for one of those blasted bikes, but he'd never bought one; it was too extravagant, too big of a splurge.

"Fine, but if something happens to him, I'll kill you all. Got it?" They nodded quickly. Shaking my head once more, I headed back inside.

I was a nervous wreck until the four boys reentered the apartment. From their helmet hair, I knew they'd all taken a turn on the bike. James ruffled his hair, a habit he couldn't kick, and they joined me, Nat, and Lily on the couches.

"Merlin, that was amazing. Thanks, guys!" Sirius thanked his friends enthusiastically. I could feel myself scowling. Sirius noticed this, too. "What's wrong, love?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I tried to brush it off, not wanting to ruin his fun. Plus, we'd already had one disagreement today, and I didn't want another. Unfortunately, the Marauders weren't thinking along the same lines as I was.

"She's mad that we got you the motorcycle," Peter said informatively.

"Yeah. She yelled at us. And threatened to kill us," James piped up. I closed my eyes exasperatedly.

"Why are you so upset?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not. I'm fine," I lied, hoping to save this conversation for later.

"You don't look it," he said factually. So much for my hopes. I sighed.

"I just don't want you getting hurt, okay?"

"I'll be fine," he assured me. I raised my eyebrows skeptically.

"You can't promise me that!"

"I'll be fine, Kara."

"Whatever," I muttered, ending the disagreement. Now, of course, there was an awkward silence. Great, I thought. Just what we need on Christmas: tension. But there it was. "Who wants some cocoa?" I asked, taking a leaf out of Natalie's book.

"I'll help!" Nat shouted, hopping up to assist me in making and serving the hot chocolate.

Christmas morning wore on, the argument between me and Sirius forgotten for the time being. It was around lunchtime when everyone had to begin leaving; we all had separate commitments for later in the day.

Once everyone had left, Sirius rounded on me.

"What was that about earlier?" he questioned.

"I told you, that thing scares me!"

"Why? It's just a bit of fun!" He exclaimed angrily.

"it's not fun! It's scary!"

"How would you know? You won't take your feet off the ground!"

"I don't want to ride that thing!"

"I don't see the difference between this and a broomstick."

"There's a big difference, Sirius! You could get hurt."

"I won't get hurt, Kara. You're being silly."

"I'm being silly? How? Is worrying about you being silly?" I shouted.

"I'll be careful!"

"But what if that's not enough? What if something happens?" I retorted. "What if I lost you?" his expression softened.

"You won't lose me, Kara. I promise." He embraced me as I cursed myself for being so emotional. The number of killings and disappearances still increased every day; no one was safe. I'd hate it if I lost someone I loved for a stupid reason.

"I love you," I said quietly.

"I love you too," he returned, carrying me to his bedroom. "Now, about all those things we were going to do together this week…"


	57. It's A Boy!

My week off was relaxing, to say the least. The only part I disliked was a certain woman whose name began with a J, who Peter seemed to like to invite everywhere. But I dealt with her, telling myself there had to be something good about her. Not that I'd found anything yet, but some people are only good really deep down. Other than her, though, I had an amazing time. Sirius and I were together almost every day and every night. Me and Nat took Lily shopping for a crib and a rocking chair, earning a complaint from James that we were shopping 'like, seven months too early'. Like we cared!

And so it was back to Auror training on January 2nd. As much as it tired me out, I'd missed it. Of course, I wasn't thinking quite as favorably on it after a month and a half back on the job.

It was almost Easter time when I began to feel sick. I was sluggish at training, earning me a reprimand at least once daily. I spilt drinks and gave the wrong change to customers. It was as though I was living life in a fog; I couldn't think or speak clearly. This went on for almost two weeks, with me brushing off peoples' concern, before it happened.

I was at an Order meeting, discussing the disappearance of a prominent Wizarding family, when my eyesight started to get blurry around the edges. I rubbed my eyes, trying to correct the problem, but it didn't work.

"Are you alright?" Sirius whispered from beside me. I nodded and promptly fell off of my chair and onto the floor, unconscious.

I woke up, looking at a bright white light. Am I dead? I wondered. I quickly decided I wasn't, because I didn't think there were trays of potions by everyone's beds in Heaven.

"Alive then," I muttered to myself.

"Kara?" I jumped at Sirius' voice.

"Yes?"

"You're awake! Finally!" He hugged me.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost two days."

"Two days!?! But what about training? And the meeting?"

"Kara, you fainted at the meeting. From sleep deprivation. Don't worry about training or anything right now. Just rest."

"I'm that tired?"

"Does this honestly surprise you? You haven't slept for more than four hours at a time in a month."

"But I caught up on sleep during weekends."

"Not lately. We've been at meetings or catching Death Eaters."

"That's true. But I can't stay here any longer, Sirius. I need to go back to training, and work!" I began to get out of bed. "Where am I?" I asked, turning to Sirius.

"St. Mungo's." At that moment a nurse walked in. Seeing me trying to get out of bed, she pushed me back down.

"No one said you could get up yet, Miss O'Connell."

"But I can't stay here! I have work and-"

"And, you have to recover. So stay in bed and rest. You should be fine in a couple of days, providing you don't leave here and try to go on three hours of sleep a night."

"A couple more days? I can't stay here that long! I don't want to stay here that long!" I was still protesting when Dumbledore walked into the room.

"If you would please stop arguing, Kara, we can discuss what has been going on," he said calmly.

"Going on? Nothing's been going on! So I haven't been sleeping as much as humanly possible. I'm busy! And I'm fine."

"I beg to differ, Miss O'Connell." He took a seat next to Sirius, and the nurse left quickly. "Do you know how unhealthy you are?" I shook my head. This was not going to be good. "Your sleep deprivation was so severe that your brain began to shut down some of its primary functions in an effort to sleep. Functions such as your vision, your reasoning, and a lack of speed in certain physical activities." My eyes widened, as did Sirius's, but I realized he must be talking about running. Right? "Kara, you cannot do everything. Your life has become far too hectic. I know you must agree with me." I reluctantly nodded. "Fabulous! I knew you would! Now, I would like to propose that you take off two nights a week at the Leaky Cauldron." I began to protest, but Dumbledore held up a hand. "Three nights a week and Saturdays are more than enough. We both know it, as Miss Martin said she made this suggestion to you once before. I'm sure you checked it out." I nodded. "Lovely. Then you'll be telling Tom that you'll be working three nights a week from now on!"

"Professor-Albus," I corrected when he raised his eyebrows. "I can't-" to my surprise, it was not Dumbledore who cut me off, but Sirius,

"You can, and you're going to. You're hurting yourself, Kara. And this is an even worse way to do something bad to yourself than the motorcycle." I rolled my eyes at his mention of our ongoing disagreement. I really did hate that thing.

"Okay," I gave in. "I'll talk to Tom once I get out of here." Both men looked pleased.

"I'm glad you see it that way, Kara. We wouldn't want to lose you," Dumbledore said seriously before walking out. Sirius and I were left alone once again.

"Sorry I gave you a scare," I apologized.

"It's alright. Just promise you'll really cut down your working hours, okay? You had me worried sick."

"So what have I missed?"

"Well, Lily's strange cravings have continued. Last night she sent James on a wild chase for rock candy. He says she pushed him out of the house and told him not to come home without it. He spent the night at my house." I laughed.

"It didn't cross his mind to conjure up some rock candy?"

"Lily says it doesn't taste the same. Anyway, he finally found some this morning, and he brought it to her. He said she took one lick and threw it out. She decided it wasn't rock candy she was craving, but watermelon."

"Lily's never liked watermelon."

"She loves it now. She ate a whole one." My eyes widened.

"An entire watermelon?"

"I tell no lies."

"I don't believe that one, but okay." He scowled at me, just coming short of hiding the grin that was under it.

"I wouldn't lie to you, Kara," he said seriously.

"I know you wouldn't."

"I love you." He kissed me softly. "Now go to sleep."

"But I'm not tired!" I argued, stifling a yawn. He gave me an incredulous look before getting up. "Wait! Aren't you going to stay with me until I fall asleep?" He sat back down. "Thank you," I said quietly, grabbing his hand.

"It's my pleasure."

I finally got out of the hospital that Wednesday, ready for training. Moody asked me how I was quietly.

"Fine," I answered. "Ready for the meeting tonight, anyway," I whispered. He nodded and began to go over that day's morning workout.

I talked to the Leaky Cauldron's owner, Tom, about taking less hours. He agreed, and I was now working Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, as well as Saturdays. I would still make enough money to pull my half of the rent, as well as buy food and stuff. But if Sirius wanted to go out, it was on him.

I spent the days listening to Moody's 'Constant Vigilance!' speeches, and the nights either working or preparing for the baby's arrival with Lily and Nat. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I went to bed super early, or I went over to Sirius' apartment, which also left me tired the next day, but in a better way.

Lily was getting huge. Her stomach had swelled to the size of the watermelons she couldn't stop eating. And in the middle of May, she went to St. Mungo's to see if her baby was a boy or a girl. I was antsy the entire day in training. James was worse. Neither of us placed as well as usual in the exercise during the morning. And during our lunch hour, all we could talk about was baby names and baby clothes and baby food. Sirius was excited as well, although not quite to this point. Although he did put in a name suggestion. (Sirius Junior was rejected immediately.)

The afternoon went even slower than the morning, if possible. I just thanked Merlin it was a Thursday. We were all going to Lily and James' for dinner to hear the news.

I Apparated into the Potters' living room. Hearing pots and pans clanging in the kitchen, I figured Lily was in there, making dinner.

"Hey Lil! Need help?" I asked as I noticed her trying to bend over to reach something on a bottom shelf.

"Yes, please!" I grabbed the pot she pointed out and handed it to her.

"I don't suppose you'd want to give your best friend any information?" I prompted. She gave me a look that said wait-your-turn-like-everyone-else. "Okay, sorry. I was just giving you the opportunity. Just promise me you won't name it Sirius Jr.!"

"Why would I do a stupid thing like that?" she asked.

"Keep thinking that way." She nodded uncertainly.

After another half an hour, dinner was on the table, which the eight of us (Peter had invited _her_) were seated around.

"As you all know, I went to St. Mungo's today," Lily began slowly.

"Oh come on, stop stalling!" Remus shouted. We were all on the edges of your seats. Lily laughed.

"Stop laughing, you fat woman, and tell us!" I yelled. She laughed harder.

"Sorry," she said when she had composed herself. "Anyway, I went to St. Mungo's today, and although I will not be naming my baby Sirius Jr., I'm having a boy!" All of us (except for her) clapped.

"Yes! A fifth little Marauder!" Sirius shouted. "But why can't you name him Sirius Jr.? we could call him Mini-Padfoot!"

"No!" Me, Nat, and Lily protested loudly together. His face fell.

"He's going to be beautiful, Lily. I can't wait!" Nat said.

"What are you going to name him?"

"We're not sure yet," James answered. "But it'll be good."

"Well that's good to know," Remus said happily. "Let's eat!" We all did, exchanging excited conversation. Peter and Jennifer remained mostly silent, talking mostly to each other. Peter had congratulated James and Lily; Jennifer didn't bother. And as usual, they left almost immediately after dinner.

"She must be giving him great sex," James said after they departed.

"James!" Lily reprimanded.

"What, Lil? Why else does a guy leave his friends so often so early at night?"

Contemplating that, the truth was the only scenario that you didn't consider.


	58. Marc Anthony and Darth Vader

"Aaron?"

"Shawn?"

"Marc?"

"Anthony?"

"Darth Vader?"

"Kara!"

"Kara is a girl's name, Lily." Me, her, and Nat were sitting around, drinking tea and thinking up baby names. We'd been doing so for over an hour, and needless to say I was getting bored.

"Kara, be serious!"

"Why would you want me to act like him?" Nat laughed. Lily tried to glare, but ended up smiling as well. "It's time for a break, guys. We've been at this forever."

"I agree. How about we go out and get something to eat?"

"Good idea," Lily said, heaving her large stomach off the couch. "Where to?"

"Anywhere but the Leaky Cauldron," I said wearily. It had been a long week.

"Where do three hot ladies looking for fun on a Saturday night go?" Nat asked.

"If we see some, we can ask them. But where are we going?" My friends rolled their eyes at my joke.

"How about we go to the Three Broomsticks and grab a butterbeer and some fries? We're really close to it already."

"Sounds great!"

"Three Broomsticks it is!" Lily agreed, and off we went.

"Hey Rosmerta!" I greeted as we walked into the bar.

"Hey ladies! How are you tonight?"

"Hungry." She smiled and handed you menus. The three of us had become regular customers, as James and Lily lived in Godric's Hollow not too far away.

"I'll have a hamburger tonight, I think," I said.

"Make that two," Nat added.

"You don't have any watermelon, do you?" Lily asked hopefully. Rosmerta shook her head. "I'll have a burger as well, then."

"Coming right up!"

"What about Brendan?" Lily asked suddenly.

"Brendan Potter?" Nat scrunched up her nose.

"Have you thought about naming him James?" I asked.

"James doesn't want to. Maybe as a middle name, though?"

"That could be nice."

"How about Ronald?" Nat asked.

"Molly Weasley just named her son Ronald," I reminded her.

"I knew I'd heard it some place."

"Petunia's just had a baby," Lily said quietly. "Mum told me. Dudley Dursley." She looked upset; it had always bothered her that her sister couldn't accept Lily's magical abilities.

"She's the one missing out, Lil," Nat said.

"Yeah. You're the nicest person I know, and Petunia's a stupid wench." Lily smiled sadly.

"I just wish she'd accept who and what I am. We used to be so close."

"Yeah, when you fit her idea of an acceptable person. But you remember how horrible she was to all three of us the summer after first year. And she called you a freak and a misfit and a mudblood until eventually she stopped speaking to you at all. You're not missing anything by not speaking to her, except for a few insults."

"I know, but she's still my sister."

"That doesn't mean you have to like her," Nat said.

"But I don't want to resent her like Sirius does his family."

"Lil, Sirius' parents beat and starved and cursed him. It's different," I explained calmly.

"You don't have to hate your sister just because she hates you. It only makes you the better person," Nat continued.

"Which we all know you are. But you don't need to attempt a reconciliation, either." Lily nodded.

"You're right. It's just hard knowing that someone who used to love you so much now despises your very name."

"I know it's hard, Lily," I tried to comfort her.

"No you don't. Your family's perfect."

"Lil, we're far from perfect. We have less problems than some other families, but plenty more than some others."

"Both Kara and I are really lucky to have great families. But you have a mum who loves you, and you have us."

"You're right, I do have you. I'm so sorry for that, Kar. I shouldn't have snapped at you when you were trying to make me feel better."

"What do you say we blame it on mood swings?"

"Sounds good. Little Benjamin is causing all sorts of problems."

"Not Benjamin."

"No?"

"No." Nat shook her head.

"Three burgers!" Rosmerta announced, placing plates in front of each of us.

"Thanks, Rosmerta," we chorused before beginning to eat.

"Aaron?" Lily said through a mouthful of food.

"We already said that one."

"Oh."

"Robert?" Natalie suggested.

"Robert Potter? Robbie Potter? Bobby Potter?" Lily shook her head after every one of these.

"Philip?"

"That sounds like a horse's name," Nat said plainly. We all laughed.

"Marshall?"

"Derrick?"

"Rupert?"

"Wilbur?" Lily threw a fry at me. "It was just a suggestion!"

"Jason?"

"Jason's not bad."

"It's alright," Lily said, shrugging.

"So Jason's a no, as well."

"What about Harry?" I said. Lily brightened up.

"Harry's a nice name."

"Harry James Potter," Nat tried.

"I love it," Lily squealed.

"I like it!" I agreed.

"I'll ask James tonight."

James loved the name. Harry James Potter it would be.


	59. Babysitters Extraordinare

It was the last week of July. Lily was fat, moody, and couldn't see her feet. And it was time for her baby shower.

It was going to be me, Lily, Nat, Molly Weasley, Alice Longbottom, and a few other women from the Order. The shower wouldn't be a big affair, just lunch and presents and the usual.

We considered ourselves the stupidest women on the planet. Because while we were discussing cribs and eating cake, Neville and Ron would be having their first babysitters. Sirius Black and James Potter. I shuddered just thinking about it; leaving the two of those idiots (I meant it in the most loving way) with two small children was a bad idea. But they were the only ones who were free. I just hope nothing was blown up. Or, no one, I decided, lowering my expectations.

I finished getting ready and walked into the kitchen to help Nat finish setting up. The shower would be held at our apartment; it wasn't safe to go out too often these days. The first half of the shower passed by uneventfully. We ooh-ed and ahh-ed as Lily opened her presents, exclaiming about how cute the clothes and pacifiers were. But then, while Nat was passing out tea and cocoa, Lily grabbed her stomach.

"What is it, Lil?" I asked, noticing. She was staring at the water dripping from her pants.

"My water just broke," she said quietly, eyes wide.

"Oh my God!" Nat said, not as quietly.

"What do we do?" I shouted at Molly.

"How should I know?" she asked, panicking.

"You've got six kids! And another one on the way!"

"Oh, right. I guess we just get her to St. Mungo's?"

"Is it safe for her to Apparate?"

"It's fine," Lily said calmly before Apparating to St. Mungo's. We all followed.

"Oh my God, where's James?" Lily cried, not so calm once her contractions had started.

"Babysitting! Don't worry, Lil, I'll get him here." With that, I Apparated to Sirius' apartment. I couldn't help but laugh at what I saw when I arrived in his living room.

~*Sirius' POV*~

It was July 31st. Lily's baby shower was today, and James and I had been conned into babysitting. Kara had made it sound easy, but as the seven kids we'd be watching filed through the door, I doubted she's been telling the truth.

As soon as Molly and Alice left, Ron began to cry. James tried to calm him down by making funny faces, which only made the little brat scream louder.

"That's not going to help," one of the red headed kids said.

"Well, what will?" James asked, panicky,

"He needs a diaper change," the kid said knowingly. I instantly stepped away.

"Padfoot, get back here! I'm not changing this-thing!"

"You're the one that's going to be a father! You do it." James had no rebuttal. But after a moment, his eyes lit up, and he turned on the kid.

"Hey kid, what's your name?"

"Percy," the red headed boy answered as pompously as a six year old can manage.

"Percy. Nice name. Do you know how to change a diaper, Percy?"

"Yeah, mum makes me do it all the time."

"How about you be a dear and change your little brother?"

"How about no?"

"Why not?"

"I don't see what the advantage is for me." James took out a Sickle.

"Would this make you do it?"

"Please. A Sickle? Five, and not a Knut less." James sighed and gave the kid the money.

"You just bribed a six year old," I pointed out.

"Yeah," he said with a smile.

I heard a small choking noise behind me. Turning around, I saw Frank and Alice's kid, Nelson, I think it was, spitting up.

"Gross," I said, removing the soiled bib. Before I could replace it, however, he did it again. Glaring at the human puke machine, I dug into Alice's diaper bag for a change of clothes. Putting down my wand, I changed Napolean as fast as I could, making sure I put on a bib.

Once he was back in his crib-thing, I reached for my wand. It wasn't there. Thinking it might have fallen on the floor, I bent over to look. While I was searching for it, I heard a BANG! from across the room. I jerked your head up, only to hit it on the table.

"Shit!" I swore loudly, bringing my hand up to massage the already forming lump.

"Shit!"

"Shit!" I heard two young voices say from behind me. Great, the twins had learned a new word. They began to chant it, hopping in circles around Neil. Not knowing how to stop them, I turned to investigate the bang. There was Molly's youngest, Ron, banging my wand on the ground, table, and chairs. As he slammed it onto the sofa, I heard another BANG! and smoke rose from the cushion. Once it had cleared, I saw a hole burned through it.

"Da-", I started to say, noticing an identical burn on my carpet, but decided that Fred and George had had enough vocabulary lessons for one day. Sneaking up behind the kid, I snatched the wand away as he raised it once more. He turned around and looked at me, stunned, and then began to wail. I picked him up and rubbed his back, which to my surprise shut him up.

But then I heard that now familiar choking noise, and felt something warm seeping through my shirt. Scrunching up my face in disgust, I put the kid back in his crib-thing and ran to my room to change my shirt.

Meanwhile, as Charlie played with his dragon action figures, and Percy read a book, James had engaged in a game of hide-and-seek with Fred, George, and Bill.

"48, 49, 50. Ready or not, here I come!" James shouted as I emerged in a new t-shirt. As Charlie begged me to play with him, James found Bill hiding in the kitchen. The two spit up machines had fallen asleep, and I moved the Hungarian Horntail piece along the floor with Charlie.

Ten minutes later, James tapped me on the shoulder. I stopped in mid-roar and turned to James.

"I can't find them!" he said urgently.

"Who?" you asked.

"Fred and George! They're gone! I've searched the entire flat; they're nowhere to be found!"

"They have to be here somewhere," I said, putting my action figure down. Apologizing to Charlie, I began to search the house for a second time. I was starting to get worried after we had search the kitchen, living room, and bathroom with no sign of them.

"What about your bedroom?" James asked.

"They wouldn't dare go in there," I said. But nevertheless, we strode towards the bedroom door. I opened it and were horrified by what I saw. The twins were jumping on my bed, having a pillow fight. But that wasn't even the worst of it. Fred was wearing a pair of my boxers on his head, and George had on Kara's lacy red bra, which she had left in your drawer the other night. James, seeing this, was cracking up.

"That your, Pads?" he asked, pointing to the matching underwear that Fred was holding as a slingshot.

"Shut up, Prongs." I ripped the underwear from Fred's hands and pulled my boxers from his head. "Give me the bra, George," I said in a dangerous voice.

"No!" he said, and began prancing around on my bed shouting, "I'm Sirius' girlfriend! Shit, shit, shit!" Fred was laughing manically from beside me, where I held him by the scruff of his neck. James grabbed George and expertly removed the bra, handing it to me.

"Thank you, Prongs," I said emotionlessly. We sat the twins down on the edge of my bed for a talking-to.

"Kara has pretty knickers," Fred said suddenly.

"I liked the really skinny black one," George added. I could feel yourself beginning to turn red.

"But what good is wearing knickers if you can see through them?" Fred asked. James laughed.

"You shouldn't ask questions like that," I said quickly.

"Why not?"

"Yeah, why not? Mum has ones just like it." Now James was going a little pink as well.

"Boys, what's in a person's underwear drawer is their business."

"Yeah. You shouldn't go through them."

"And you definitely shouldn't tell people what you saw. Understood?" They nodded in what I supposed was an attempt at innocence. But we'd pulled that act far too many times, and we didn't fall for it.

"You two really are quite the little trouble makers," I commented. They nodded proudly.

"We couldn't help but notice, sir, but you have the entire collection of How To Prank A Prankster."

"So?"

"May we borrow one? Please?" I considered. It seemed they were going to follow a path similar to my own whether I helped them or not. I might as well help them.

"Sure. But you've got to promise me you won't tell your mum."

"We promise!" They said together. James grabbed the book from the shelf and handed it to George. I heard crying from the living room, so I told the twins not to touch anything else and exited.

I saw Bill, leaning over his baby brother, a pair of shiny scissors in his hand.

"Bill!" I shouted, rushing over. "Those are not toys!"

"But Ronnie needs a haircut!"

"No. He doesn't. He doesn't even have hair yet. Only big people need haircuts."

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me."

"Oh, okay!" He started walking towards me with the scissors.

"Give those to me, please." He obeyed reluctantly, placing the scissors in my hand. "Thank you. Now how about you go play dragons with Charlie and I'll try to quiet Ron down." He nodded and sat on the floor next to his little brother. It took a full five minutes to quiet the baby down this time, and by the time he stopped crying, Newman had started. I vaguely saw either Fred or George open the door to my supply closet, but paid it no mind. Finally Neo shut up and I was able to join James on the singed couch. We'd been there for about two minutes when I felt something wrap around my chest tightly.

"Hey!" I shouted, but Fred kept winding the rope around and around. My arms were fixed to my body, and even if they weren't my wand was on the table. Wondering why James wasn't helping, I looked at him, only to see him sleeping. "James!" I shouted. He jerked awake, but it was too late. George had begun to sneak up behind him. "Watch out!" I cried, but it was no use. James was tied up next to me in a matter of seconds.

The twins ran into my room, but returned in no time…

~*Kara's POV*~

James and Sirius were sitting back to back on the floor. James had a pair of my underwear on his head, and my bra was hung on Sirius' ears. Fred and George were skipping around with thongs on their heads and condoms on their ears, yelling 'Shit, shit, shit!', and Bill stood behind Sirius with a pair of scissors, chopping off parts of his beloved black locks. Charlie was making dragon noises in the corner, and the two infants were screaming. Percy looked at the scene from behind his book.

"Rough day?" I asked. They tried to turn and look at me, but only succeeded in banging their heads together. "Poor Neville and Ron," I said, rushing over to quiet them.

"I knew it started with an N!" Sirius shouted victoriously. "But, Kara, do you think you could get this brat to stop cutting my hair?"

"Bill, put down those scissors right now." He did so immediately. "Fred, George, stop swearing. Your mother will be along any minute." That shut them up. "And take those things off of your heads."

"Kara?" Fred began. "What's the point of wearing knickers if you can see through them?"

"It gives you a nice breeze," I replied without missing a beat. "Now take them off and give them here."

"The balloons, too?" George asked, pointing to the condoms.

"Yes, those too. Give them to me." They did so. "Now untie James and Sirius right away. Your mom will be here soon, and we need to get to St. Mungo's."

"Why do you need to go there?" Fred asked curiously, untying James.

"Because Lily's having her baby."

"What!" James yelled, jumping off the ground.

"I said, Lily's having her baby."

"Now?"

"No, next week, genius. Yes, now! Get over to St. Mungo's, Sirius and I will be there as soon as the kids leave." He nodded and Disapparated. An instant later, Molly and Alice arrived. They surveyed the mess suspiciously, but said nothing as they packed up their kids. It was just me and Sirius.

"I like your hair cut," I said, laughing, before quickly Apparating to St. Mungo's.


	60. Harry James Potter

Sirius glared at me when he arrived at St. Mungo's. He ran a hand through his sheared mane.

"Come on," I laughed, grabbing his hand and leading him to the maternity ward. Nat, Remus, and Peter were sitting in the waiting room silently.

"What's the update?" I asked as I settled in next to Peter.

"She's doing fine," Nat said, "but she was really anxious until James got here." I nodded.

"Hey Padfoot, what happened to your hair?" Sirius glared at Remus.

"Bill Weasley," I explained, trying to keep from smiling. But Remus, Nat, and Peter started snickering, and I couldn't help it. I joined in. "It's okay, Sirius. You can get it evened out, and it'll grow back in no time." He said nothing, running his hand once more through his hair.

"I'm going to get tea," Nat announced, rising. "Does anybody want some?"

'I'll help you out," I offered, as all the guys accepted.

"Thanks." I made your way down the hallway.

"I don't believe Lily's going to be a mother," Nat said.

"Me either. Things'll sure be different."

"Nice, though."

"Yeah. Harry's lucky; he's going to have great parents."

" Who'd have thought you'd be saying that about James Potter a couple of years ago?"

"Things sure have changed a lot since we turned sixteen." I was now heading back to the chairs.

Remus was reading a magazine, Peter watched Healers bustle about, and Sirius had his eyes closed, a slight frown on his face.

I handed Peter his tea and sat down next to my boyfriend. I tapped him and gave him the mug. He smiled and thanked me.

"You're welcome. Rough day?" He nodded. "I would love to know how Fred and George got a hold of my underwear," I continued conversationally. He laughed.

"They're demons, those children." He sighed and gave me a full summary of the day.

"It sounds like the twins might be following in your footsteps," I said, laughing, when he'd finished.

"I was never that bad," he protested.

"Sure you weren't." He smiled.

"I was worse." I laughed and snuggled up to him, resting my head on his shoulder. I dozed off, starting awake two hours later to the sound of Lily's screams. Nat, too, and bolted up, and I noticed the guys looking anxiously towards the door to Lily's room.

The yelling continued for another five minutes; I was just beginning to get really worried when suddenly it was quiet.

"Is she alright, d'you think?" Sirius asked softly. I shrugged, not knowing.

A Healer emerged from the room and addressed us.

"You can see her now." We all jumped up and headed for the door.

Lily was leaning against the bed, her hair, damp and limp, framing her face. James sat next to her, smiling down at the bundle of blankets in his arms. Lily looked up when she heard the door open.

"Hey! Come on, meet Harry." She gestured us over to the bed. I sat next to her and smiled as James started to hand little Harry to Sirius.

"Oh, no, I can't hold him." Sirius backed away.

"You don't want to hold my son?" James asked.

"No, I've just never held a baby before." Lily smiled.

"Come here, Sirius." I let him take my spot on the bed. James handed Harry to Lily, who told Sirius how to hold out his arms. Harry began to fuss from being moved around so much. Lily placed her son into Sirius' arms. Harry stopped crying a second later.

"He already likes you," Lily said as Sirius grinned and looked down at the small black-haired boy.

"He looks just like you, Prongsie."

"The girls'll be all over him," Remus joked.

"Can we give that thirteen years or so, please!" Lily exclaimed. Sirius eyes hadn't strayed from Harry. Nat took out her camera and snapped a picture.

Harry opened his eyes and looked up at his father's best friend.

"And he's got your eyes, Lil," I said. "He's beautiful."

"Do you want to hold him?" Sirius asked.

"Yes." I took Harry from him and cradled him in my arms. His eyelids closed again and he fell asleep.

Nat held him next, and then Peter and Remus. Harry once again began to cry, so Lily took him back and lulled him to sleep, placing him in the small crib beside her bed.

We all hung around for a few minutes, so James and Sirius could tell Lily about their babysitting escapades. She looked a little scared to leave her husband alone with their son, but laughed about my lingerie. And she knew a spell to fix Sirius' hair. He thanked and hugged her as me and James rolled our eyes.

We had begun to file out when James called me and Sirius back.

"What is it, James?" I asked as we clambered back onto the narrow bed.

"Would you like to be Harry's godparents?" Lily asked. I smiled.

"I'd love to," Sirius and I said at the same time.

"Great!" Lily exclaimed. "Thanks, guys." She hugged us both, as did James.

"We'll see you guys," I said on our way out a few moments later.

"Yeah, don't forget us childless people, ok?"

"Don't worry, we won't. We'll need babysitters!" James called. I laughed as I Apparated to Sirius' apartment to help him clean up.

Sirius and I lay awake in his bed that night, talking about Harry and Lily and James. When we finally fell asleep it was in the early hours of the morning.

Five o'clock came too soon. I dragged yourself out of bed and got ready at Sirius'. Training was hard; I had a physical exercise and then a fitness test.

I had an hour before I needed to be at work; me and Sirius were going, along with James, to see Lily. She was going to go home the next morning, but apparently she'd had a little trouble during labor and they wanted to watch over her for a couple of days.

"Hey Lil," I greeted, arriving before everyone else.

"Hey!" Harry was sleeping in his crib.

"How are you feeling?"

"Ready to go home." The baby began to cry, and Lily picked him up. "I think he's hungry. Do you mind?"

"Go ahead." She began to breast feed her son.

"Do you know how strange this feels?" she asked.

"Can't say that I do."

"It feels very strange. My boobs hurt all the time." As she said this, James and Sirius Apparated into the room.

"Thanks for sharing, Lily," Sirius said. She laughed.

"You're quite welcome."

"How is Harry? Was he good for you today?"  
"He doesn't sleep for more than a few hours at a time, but I got the rest I needed." James looked satisfied with his wife's answer.

We talked and held Harry for the next forty minutes or so.

"I have to get to work, Lil. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you then, Kara," Lily made Harry wave. I smiled and waved back before exiting the room. I didn't see Sirius give James and Lily a nod before following me out.

"Kara?"

"Yes?" He kissed me. "What was that for?" I asked happily.

"Because I love you."

"I love you too."

"I want what they have," he said, gesturing into the room. He reached into his pocket...


	61. My Son Likes You More Than Me

My eyes widened when Sirius pulled out a ring box.

"Marry me?"

"I'd love to." He slipped the ring on my finger and kissed me again. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he pulled me into him by the waist.

"Can we wait until we're done with Training?"

"That's another two years, almost."

"I know."

"We can do whatever you want, love." He kissed me again.

"I'd better go," I said quietly a moment later. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you then." Grinning, I Apparated to the Leaky Cauldron.

"What is that?" Coleen asked as soon as I entered the bar.

"What's what?" I asked, too happy to pay attention. Coleen grabbed my left hand and pointed to the diamond on my finger.

"This!"

"My engagement ring," I said, smiling.

"And when did you get engaged?" she demanded.

"Just now." I took an order and gave it to the chef.

"Weren't you at St. Mungo's just now?"

"Yes I was."

"He proposed in a hospital?" I nodded. "Not very romantic."

"It was perfect."

"Even without the fireworks and champagne?"

"I prefer it this way."

"I don't think I would."

"Then whoever asks you to marry them will do it with fireworks and champagne." She smiled.

"So when's the wedding?"

"Not until we've finished training."

"Why so long?"

"Because."

"Okay…" I brought the table their food and began to serve drinks at the bar.

It was a busy night; I didn't have a chance to sit down or talk to Coleen again.

I Apparated into my bedroom and jumped when I saw Sirius laying on my bed.

"I didn't want to wait until tomorrow to see you. I hope that's okay."

"It's really not okay."

"Oh." His face fell.

"Can you see me from the other side of the bed?" He smiled and shifted out of my usual spot. "Thank you." I changed and fell into bed next to my fiancé. He draped an arm around me and I fell asleep.

The smell of pancakes aroused me the next morning. Sirius entered my bedroom a moment later, with two breakfast plates in hand.

"You spoil me," I joked as he gave me one.

"It's because I love you."

"I always thought it was because you had a strange penchant for making breakfast foods."

"Well, that too," he laughed. After eating breakfast in bed together, we showered, dressed, and made our way to the Ministry.

James gave me a bloody nose when we practiced wandless combat; he ended up with a split lip and a black eye.

"You're going to make Harry cry," Sirius teased as us all made our way back to James' house.

"Shut up, man," James muttered.

"I'm sorry, Jamsie," I apologized.

"It's alright. I'm sorry too."

"Forgiven!" We entered the house and smiled, seeing Lily and Harry asleep on the couch together. "That is so cute." James went over and kissed both his wife and son, who stirred. Lily stretched.

"Is that you already?"

"Yes, it's us."

"Nat's in the kitchen making supper," Lily said, yawning. Harry giggled as James played with him. I made my way to the kitchen to help Nat. I laughed at what I saw. Nat was there alright, but so was Remus.

"I hope you don't make a habit out of kissing on other peoples' kitchen tables," I said loudly from the door. They jumped apart, blushing. "Hello!" I bustled over to the counter and started to ready the meal. Nat and Remus began to help after awhile, once their faces returned to normal color.

Harry cried through dinner; Lily tried to quiet him but nothing worked. He didn't need a diaper change, nor was he hungry.

"Lily, this is insane," Nat commented halfway through dessert.

"I know! He just won't shut up!" she hissed back. She hadn't eaten a bite of dinner.

"Let someone else take him, Lil," I suggested. "You need to eat." She handed him to Sirius, who was on her left. Harry quieted down within minutes.

"That's awfully strange," James said.

"As long as he's quiet," Lily said happily, digging into her food.

It was a little strange. Harry almost never cried when Sirius was within seeing distance. And when Sirius held him, he was quiet and happy, or asleep.

"Should it bother me that my son likes you more than me?" James asked one day towards the end of August.

"Possibly," Sirius admitted. I had laughed and hurried them back to training.

The holidays rolled around again before we knew it. Halfway through Auror training, it continued to get harder every day. The break was, if possible, more welcome this year than last.

On Christmas day, we all gathered at Lily and James' house. The seven of us, plus Jennifer, who was still around for some reason, watched with delight as Harry received pacifiers and clothes from each of us. Jennifer sat in a corner and read Witch Weekly.

Sirius and I babysat so Lily and James could go out alone for the first time since having Harry. It was when the three of is were alone in the house when he gave me my gift.

"I love it," I said, kissing him sweetly, when I unwrapped an undying rose with our initials painted on the stem. He responded the same way when he opened the scrapbook I'd made of the two of us in our rare spare time.

We spent most of the afternoon on the floor, playing with Harry. He giggled as Sirius talked to him in funny voices and called him Little Prongsie. Lily and James came home to find the three of u napping on the floor, Harry perched atop Sirius' chest, his tiny hand clutching my index finger.

And so another year had come and gone.


	62. Tak Oo, Siri!

Mrs. Evans died in a car crash the week before Easter. Lily was a mess. Her mother was her only living relative besides Petunia, who still wouldn't speak to her.

Sirius babysat Harry during the funeral, and I went to pay tribute to one of the best women I knew. I couldn't believe Mrs. Evans, who'd taught us how to bake cookies and put red streaks in our hair, was gone.

Me, Nat, and Lily cried through the funeral; I couldn't help wishing for Sirius' hand even though Peter was there for us.

It was a small ceremony; Mrs. Evans' friends, all of us, and Petunia and her husband.

And although Nat and I had promised ourselves we'd avoid it, we had a run in with Miss Bitch herself.

I went to get lunch from the small buffet table. Petunia was there at the same time, although I didn't know it until I jostled her arm.

"Watch it, freak," she hissed.

"Stuff it or I'll hex you," I threatened.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Do you want boils or a penis?" I asked, showing her my wand.

"Get away from me!" she screeched.

"Or you'll what?" Nat asked.

"Or I'll tell everyone here what you are!"

"Yeah, a bunch of Muggles are going to believe you when you say we're witches."

"Have a nice time in the asylum," Nat added. She glared and stalked away.

"Nice talking to you, Toony!" I used the nickname she hated. She tensed, but didn't turn around.

The night after the funeral, Dumbledore called us all to check out a location that was a possible Death Eater hideout. Lily wasn't asked to help, but she insisted. She really wanted to take her mind off things for even an hour or so.

The small room over an inn was deserted, but Death Eaters had in fact once inhabited the place. Unfortunately, the small amount of information left behind was nothing new. I spent the rest of the night tailing Lucius Malfoy with Sirius.

It was almost a week before Lily would crack a smile. She and her mother had always been pretty close. But even Lily couldn't keep a straight face during the Easter egg hunt the Marauders had set up for the kids at the Burrow.

Fred and George raced around, finding eggs together and occasionally nicking one or two from Percy's basket. Bill looked calmly underneath the trees and chairs, and Charlie was too busy pretending that the eggs were dragon eggs to care how many he found. Ron, Harry, and Neville toddled around, barely knowing how to walk, carrying their colored baskets awkwardly.

"This is the cutest thing I've ever seen," Nat exclaimed as she clicked away on her camera. I couldn't wait to get those shots back. I'd been keeping an album, and it included things from Harry's birth to Fred and George dancing around with condoms (of course I'd taken time to snap a picture).

Frank and Alice Longbottom, two Aurors and fellow Order members, were laughing along with the rest of us. Neville and Ron had become the best of friends in the last weeks, and they were now teaming up to find their eggs. Harry hadn't found a single one, and he was beginning to notice it.

"Siri," he whined. "Siri!" He held out his empty basket.

"Come on, Little Prongsie, we'll find you an egg," Sirius declared, grabbing Harry's palm and walking over to a place where an egg was stashed. Harry squealed in delight when he spotted it, and picked it up.

"Siri!" he cried, handing it to Sirius.

"It's yours, Harry." He placed it in his basket.

"O." He picked up the egg again, and threw it into the middle of the yard. I laughed as Harry ran up to it and picked it up, giggling. "Siri!"

"Go show mummy, Harry."

"Ma! Ma!" He ran over to where we were sitting and put the egg in Lily's lap.

"Wow, Harry! It's a very pretty egg."

"Preey egg," he repeated solemnly. Lily nodded.

"Thank Uncle Sirius for helping you find it."

"Tak oo, Siri!"

"You're welcome, Harry." Harry showed the James the egg happily, and gasped when James opened it to reveal the candy inside.

"Daddy! Look!" He pointed to the chocolate in awe.

"Wow! And it's just for you!" Harry's eyes were wide. James unwrapped the candy and gave it to his son, who chewed it and smiled.

"Mmmm!"

"You like it?" James asked.

"Mmm!" Harry repeated.

"Would you like to find another one?" He nodded and handed his egg basket to James. They searched the yard together and found two more eggs which Fred and George had managed to miss.

"Mmm!" Harry declared as Lily gave him another chocolate. He wanted more, but Lily said two was enough. Pouting, he walked over to Sirius.

"Mmm!" He yelled.

"No more, Harry. You've got to listen to your mum." Harry nodded and didn't ask for candy again.

The first week of May brought fighting. Voldemort himself showed his face at a battle near Kent. He blasted Marlene McKinnon to pieces. He had rounded on James and asked him to join the Death Eaters. James laughed in his face and Disapparated with the rest of us.

Marlene's services were sad; she was the first Order member we'd lost since Dorcas Meadows, and that had been months ago.

Voldemort's reign of terror was beginning to show its effects in daily life. No one was out after dark, and even during the day people were afraid to do their shopping or visit with friends. Many of the stores in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade had been boarded up, their owners gone to find another living. The Leaky Cauldron was slow every night; coleen and I served maybe five people a night. Tom wouldn't be able to keep both of us on for much longer, at least not on the same nights.


	63. Who's The Traitor?

It was right after Harry's first birthday that the Death Eaters began to be tipped off about the Order's secrets. We lost more people in the month August than ever before, including Benjy Fenwick and Caradoc Dearborn. August was also the month in which Alice and Frank Longbottom were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. Little Neville was sent to live with his grandmother, who didn't allow him to socialize as his parents had. So of Neville we saw no more.

The Order suffered without Frank and Alice, as did the Auror department. They were good at what they did. But the real problem was the fact that no matter what secret operation we had planned or who we were planning on tailing, Voldemort knew and was ready. Finally, Dumbledore said aloud the truth we'd all been fearing: there was a spy within the Order of the Phoenix.

"I'll bet it's Remus," Sirius said to me later that night at his place. "He's the only one smart enough to do it and not get caught. At least, the only one alive and smart enough."

"Sirius, you can't honestly think it's Remus!" I exclaimed.

"Who else could it be, Kara? Voldemort has been trying to recruit werewolves, offering them new freedoms when the rest of us are dead-"

"Sirius! We both know Remus wouldn't fall for that."

"Then maybe he's doing it of his own will," Sirius said quietly.

"You're accusing your best friend of selling us all out to Voldemort."

"I know," he whispered. "But who else could it be?" I shrugged. "Come on, Kara, we both know you've got your suspicions."

"I think it's Peter," I said matter-of-factly. Sirius snorted.

"Peter? Don't be silly."

"I'm not being silly. He's been acting strange lately, and that awful Jennifer woman is still around-"

"That's because she's gorgeous and for some reason she's in to Peter! Of course she's still around!"

"But why would she like sweet little Peter, the cold hearted bitch?"

"I have no idea!"

"Maybe it's because they're working for the other side together."

"Jennifer isn't even in the Order."

"So? If Peter is telling her things, then she could be reporting back. Not that'd he'd need a messenger…"

"It's Remus, Kar," Sirius stated firmly, not waiting for me to finish my thought.

"No, it isn't." We both rolled our eyes.

"You know, what, love? Let's just drop it."

"I don't think we can 'just drop it'. It's our lives at stake if we don't figure out who it is."

"Dumbledore will find out in no time."

But Dumbledore didn't find out.

And so the mole stayed. Everyone thought it was a different person; Emmeline Vance even suspected me. But without proof, it didn't matter. And so the Order of the Phoenix was slowly imploding. I didn't know who to trust; who to tell things and who to keep secrets from, and so I kept things from everyone. No one was in my full confidence; except for Sirius. And it obviously wasn't Sirius. I was with him from six a.m. to at least eleven at night when the Order meetng concluded, and most nights we slept in the same bed. There was no way he'd be getting something like this by me, and he wouldn't want to in the first place.

And so, our friendships began to crumble, too. Not noticeably, at least not to anyone else. We still had dinner at Lily's and talked and played with Harry, but the atmosphere was stiffer. Sirius thought it was Remus, and Nat had told me that Remus suspected Sirius. How either of the two men could think that about the other was beyond me, but then, people said that about my Peter suspicion.

I knew it wasn't Lily and James, either. Because Voldemort had repeatedly offered them a place in his organization, if you could call it that, and they had turned him down. And it wasn't Nat. She was far too sweet and caring, and her brother had been killed by Death Eaters a few months before. Unfortunately, I had to admit that Remus was the obvious choice. But I'd known Remus for nine years, and I refused to believe that he would do this. He wouldn't.

But Peter, he was never around. Contrary to the other five people who I knew well and spent time with, Peter was changing. And he wasn't with us. He was with Jennifer, who I was sure had a tattoo on her left arm…. It wasn't right. Something wasn't right. The way he acted nervous, and those dark circles under his eyes…. It wasn't right! And I knew it. But nobody would believe me. And now, sitting in the same room with the man I knew to be a traitor was painful. I supposed Sirius and Remus, and James felt the same way. James, too, secretly believed Remus was the one who was whispering secrets to the Dark Lord. But none of us said a word; we sat and drank tea with our best friends and the rat and his girlfriend, acting as though nothing was wrong. Maybe if we hadn't sat around, if we'd done something, the six of us would be sitting around at the Potters', sipping your tea, with everything okay. But we hadn't.

Mr. Potter was killed a week before my birthday. We found out an hour after we heard that Regulus was dead. Two hours later, James received an anonymous letter, telling him that his father would be alive if he's agreed to work for Voldemort. James, eyes red, tore the note up and burned it.

He was the most upset I'd ever seen him. And Sirius was just as bad. Inconsolable. They just sat and stared blankly at the walls, with their puffy eyes and heavy hearts. The funeral was terrible. It was the first time I'd seen James cry, and Sirius hadn't done it too often. It was near impossible to see two of the strongest, most optimistic people in my life so dismal. I was realizing that Voldemort's power was growing. He was sinking his influences deeper and deeper into the wizarding world and the people around me.

My 19th birthday was fun. James and Sirius seemed a little cheered at the opportunity to get their minds of Mr. Potter's death. There was cake and a little firewhiskey and a lot of fun, more than we'd had in weeks.

My favorite present was Harry's, a 'drawing' of the two of us, consisting of many red and blue squiggles. He giggled when I thanked him and kissed his cheek.

"Welcome," he said happily.

September started out bleak. Still more Order members were lost every week. We were lucky the six of us were alive.

Dumbledore called Lily and James to meet with him during the second week of the month. Sirius and I babysat Harry. Our best friends came back looking grim.

"He wants Harry," James said quietly while Lily put their son to sleep.

"Dumbledore?"

"Voldemort. He wants Harry. Or he will, once he hears what Dumbledore heard."

"What happened, mate?" Sirius asked.

"He said that there was a prophecy made about Harry. Last year, just before he was born. It said that Harry is the one who can defeat Voldemort. But-" James stopped. Sirius and I were staring at him with wide eyes.

"But what, James?" I asked quietly.

"It said 'either must die at the hand of the other'. So Voldemort is going to try to kill Harry." He sat and buried his face in his hands.

"Oh my God," Sirius murmured. Lily came into the room and sat beside her husband, looking just as weary and worried as he did.

"You two can't tell anyone about this."

"We know."

"We don't know who else to trust." James whispered.

"You can trust us," I assured him. Lily smiled weakly at me.

"So what are you going to do?" Sirius asked.

"For now? Lay low. He won't try anything until the time is right. Dumbledore said Harry's safe, for a little while at least."

"What about when he isn't?" I asked.

"We don't know," Lily admitted. I sighed.

"Wow," was all I could say.


	64. Engagement Ring

The last week of October, Dumbledore called the Potters to him once more.

"We have to go into hiding," James told me and Sirius quietly when they arrived home.

"Hiding?" Sirius repeated.

"Yeah. Voldemort's been looking for Harry. We can't take our chances anymore." We both nodded. "Dumbledore wants to perform the Fidelius Charm."

"Who's going to be your Secret Keeper?" I asked immediately. James' eyes fell on Sirius.

"Padfoot?" Sirius nodded.

"Of course, Prongsie." They embraced.

"Dumbledore wants to perform the charm in a couple of days."

"Just tell me when and where."

"I'll have to stop going to training."

"I figured." I just looked on as the two best friends discussed the Charm. Lily entered the room and we did the same, until late at night.

"Well, we'd better go," I said reluctantly. Lily, James, and Sirius nodded. We all hugged and then we Apparated to Sirius' apartment.

"At least they'll be safe," I said from his bed once we'd changed and turned off the lights. He shifted, but said nothing. "What's on your mind, Sirius?"

"Won't Voldemort suspect me? I mean, I'm his best friend. He'll know it's me" he trailed off.

"But you won't say anything," I pointed out.

"What if I do? What if I'm not as strong as you think?" I rested my head on his chest.

"Sirius, we both know that you'd never say anything. You'd die before you'd open your mouth." I could feel him nod, but I knew he wasn't convinced. "Good night."

"Night, love." The charm was performed on Tuesday, October 26th.

The next evening, Dumbledore called us all together for an important breakthrough. He knew where Death Eaters were, and if we hurried we could head them off. They had murdered two Muggle families. Without argument, we all Apparated over to Kent, where they would be.

Darkness had just settled over the forest when you arrived. The Dark Mark over the hut cast an eerie green glow over everything. The Death Eaters were inside; it was only a matter of time before they came out and the fighting began.

A cool night breeze washed over my face. I enjoyed it guiltily; this was my first time outside in a week. It just wasn't safe anymore.

The dark, hooded figures began to step out of the trashed house, trying to Disapparate away. Dumbledore, of course, had put up an Anti-Disapparation field. They were stuck.

"The Order," one of them hissed. Pulling out their wands, they started towards the woods where we waited. Moving a step away from Sirius, I readied myself to fight them.

"Lumos," the Death Eater closest to me whispered. As light erupted from its wand, I cast a spell of my own.

"Stupefy!" I said, watching the cloaked figure fall backwards before turning my attentions to the three Death Eaters that surrounded Remus.

"Crucio!" One of them yelled but Remus dodged the spell and hexed the Death Eater.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I shouted, and the second one stopped moving. Remus followed my lead and put the full-body bind curse on the third one.

I heard agonizing screams coming from my left. My heart dropped; Sirius was in pain. I hurried towards the yelling and found Sirius writhing in pain, two Death Eaters standing over him.

"Cru-"

"Stop!" I yelled, rushing forward. A stupid idea, I knew, but I couldn't bear it.

"Crucio!" Both Death Eaters chanted at once. Immediately I felt as though a thousand dull knives had been driven into my body. I doubled over from the pain, hearing my own screams ringing through the night as Sirius' did. ,p

After a seeming eternity, the pain dulled. Where was my wand? I searched the ground, knowing it was only a matter of time before the curse hit you again. There it was! I felt the thin wood near my right foot. Picking it up quickly, I pointed it towards the Death Eater who had tortured me. The other one had Sirius screaming for mercy as it hit him again with the Cruciatus Curse.

"Crucio!"

"Incendio!" I shouted, ducking as the Death Eater tried to hit me once more. Its robes caught on fire as his spell went over my head. "Stupefy!" The second Death Eater fell over, and Sirius gasped, released from the curse.

"Are you alright?" I asked, rushing to him. He nodded and pushed himself shakily off the ground.

"I'm fine," he said, stupefying the Death Eater once more. "Thanks, Kara. You saved my ass."

"Of course! Where would I be without it?" We smirked at each other.

"We should go help."

"Yeah." He kissed me deeply before running towards the fighting. I followed, until I heard my name.

"Kara O'Connell," said the condescending voice of Lucius Malfoy. My eyes narrowed.

"Reducto," I said lazily, and I watched as Malfoy was blasted into a nearby tree. I smiled slightly at his motionless body before continuing on.

I came to the clearing where the majority of the fighting was being done. I saw Sirius battling his cousin, Bellatrix, and Remus fought McNair. Goyle noticed me and began to approach, wand at the ready.

"Crucio!" he yelled, and for the second time that night I dropped to my knees in agony.  
He repeated the curse again as soon as I began to feel a bit of relief. I wished he'd use Avada Kedavra instead. Screaming, I felt hot tears run down my cheeks as the knives stabbed and stabbed you.

I heard someone yell something and felt the curse lift off of me. Moody stood over an unconscious Goyle, making sure I was alright before returning to the battle.

I forced myself to get up and continue, although I felt faint. Arthur Weasley was having a tough time with a group of three Death Eaters.

I helped him and went on to fight a few more mini-battles. I lost track of time, not stopping until I saw Remus, hunched over a dark shape.

~*Nat's POV*~

I was becoming tired. The fighting had been going on for over an hour, and my strength was waning. However, I as determined not to let my guard down. Constant vigilance! Seeing Molly in a bit of a situation, I sprinted over to help her.

"Stupefy!" she yelled at one of the Death Eaters, not pausing to watch that one hit the ground before rounding on another one. He got her, first, though, stupefying her and running off to hurt someone else.

"Ennervate," I muttered, and Molly returned to consciousness.

"Thanks, Nat," she said quickly, jogging over to Arthur. She assisted him in tying up all of the unconscious Death Eaters. I sighed tiredly.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Natalie Martin," said a vaguely familiar woman's voice from behind me. I turned around, wand at the ready. "Expelliarmus," the hooded lady said, and my wand went flying into her hand. Shit, I thought. Not good. "Crucio!" The pain coursing through my already weakened body was unbearable. Screaming, I fell to the dirt. "Shame we had to be on different sides, Nat," the woman spat. "Crucio!" Her cackling filled the air. "We could have been friends!" Where did I know her from? My mind couldn't figure it out through the torturous convulsions of pain. "You know, gossiped, drank cocoa. Crucio!"

Jennifer! My mind flashed her traitorous name before blanking again, giving in to the excruciating feeling of anguish.

"Crucio!" My body was spasming weakly; it wouldn't be long before I'd never feel any of this again.

"Reducto!" Jennifer was flung aside, and I collapsed, no longer fighting the inevitable. "Natty!" I heard Remus murmur.

"Hey, Remie," I said breathlessly. "It was Jennifer. It was Jennifer."

"Shhh. Save your strength, love. You'll be alright." But I could feel my life slipping away from me.

"No. I love you, Remus Lupin," I whispered. Tears began to fall from my beloved werewolf's eyes.

"I love you too, Natalie." He kissed me softly, as everything went black.

~*Remus's POV*~

No. She couldn't be… She wasn't... Nat was not dead! I removed my lips from hers and waited for her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes, to flicker open. For her succulent pick lips to smile at me. Nothing happened. The rise and fall of her chest had stopped.

I let the tears flow freely. Natalie was gone. I kneeled, with her head in your lap, until Kara came over.

"Oh my God," she whispered from behind me, sadness in her voice. I didn't respond; instead I ran my fingers through my girlfriend's smooth, dark hair. She was beautiful, even in death. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

"Remus," Kara began softly. "Come on. We need to get back to Headquarters." I wanted to protest. My shattered heart wanted only to keep Natalie in my arms; to keep her safe and warm. Bu Kara was right; everyone else was gone, and the Ministry would be arriving at any moment. So, picking up the corpse of my first love, I readied yourself to Apparate to HQ as Kara had just done.

Taking the small velvet box from my pocket, I removed the sparkling engagement ring from its place and slipped it onto Natalie's cold, dead finger.


	65. I've Made A Terrible Mistake

~*Kara's POV*~

The room went quiet when Remus appeared, moments after me, with Natalie's body in his arms. With his eyes puffy and blank, face dirty and scraped from the battle, he looked haggard and lost. He stood silently in the middle of the room, while Molly and Hestia Jones began to cry. Professor McGonagall's eyes were misty and her mouth hung slightly open in surprise and dismay.

After a seeming eternity, Remus moved stiffly to the vacant couch and laid Nat on it. With that, he walked out of the room. I approached my friend with unexplained caution. I felt the tears begin to fall as I sat by her and stroked her hair.

"Oh, Natty," I murmured as my vision blurred. I studied her face, distorted by the salty drops, and began to cry harder. She didn't look like herself without her mouth curved up in a smile and laughter sparkling in her eyes. I felt someone rub my back and assumed it was Sirius. But turning around you saw Remus standing behind me, with tears streaking down his cheeks, leaving little trails in the dirt. I stood and hugged him, wetting each other's shirts for a moment.

Then Sirius stepped forward. His eyes, too, sparkled.

"What happened?" he asked quietly after embracing his friend.

"It was Jennifer," Remus relied in a hoarse whisper.

"Jennifer?" Sirius repeated, paling. Remus nodded once. Panic and grief flew into Sirius' dark grey eyes. "I have to go," he said suddenly.

"What?" I asked.  
"'I have to go. I've made a terrible mistake." He kissed me, long and deep, and then exited. I heard the sound of his motorcycle starting and then silence returned.

~*Sirius' POV*~

I knew Kara was right the instant Remus had uttered Jennifer's name. It was Peter. That despicable rat! And I'd switched with him just that morning! He could tell Voldemort exactly where James, Lily, and Harry were.

And so I left. I flew to Godric's Hollow and were heartbroken, and more, to find the house in ruins. But the cries of an infant rang through the night...

~* James's POV *~

Lily and I sat in the family room of the small house silently, watching Harry as he slept. It was still hard, even after a year, to contemplate that he was my son. And I was his father. I looked over at Lily and found that her eyes were wet with unshed tears. I knew she was scared. We'd been in hiding for barely a couple of days, but switching Secret Keepers from Sirius to Peter had unsettled her. I got up and walked over to her, embracing her into a hug. She leaned into my shoulder and started crying silently. I hated seeing her like this, but I knew that the only thing I could do now was be there for her and try to comfort her.

"James," she whispered into me.

"Yeah?" I responded, not letting her go. Oh, it felt so good to be married to Lily Evans, no, Lily Potter.

"Promise me something," Lily said, still whispering.

"Anything." She looked up into my eyes.

"Don't ever leave me. Please."

"I won't, Lily, I won't." I responded. Just then, Harry started crying.

"I'll get him," Lily said.

"Alright."

She walked over to him picked him up, whispering and rocking him gently. Boy, that kid knew how to ruin a perfect moment. I paced aimlessly around the room, restless. I couldn't take being cooped up like this. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd ridden my broom. I stopped and looked out the window, knowing that I'd only see the same bleak countryside that I saw every day. I did, but I also saw something else. A tall man in a black robe walking slowly towards the house. Even though it was dark and I couldn't see anything clearly, I immediately knew who it was. Voldemort.

I spun away from the window quickly, ripping out my wand. Lily was looking at me fearfully.

"Lily, it's him. He's here. Take Harry and run, quickly, out the back door. I'll hold him off and then follow you later."

"No, it can't be, he wouldn't have told him where we were."

"Lily, it is, and he did. Go now!" I pleaded with her.

"No, I can't let you do this by yourself," she said stubbornly. I looked back out the window. He was almost at the porch; he'd be here any second.

"Lily, please, you have to go now. Take Harry and run out the back. Find Kara and Sirius and Remus. Go, now. GO!" I shouted when she didn't move. She ran to Harry and picked him up, running into the bedroom. Our eyes locked momentarily before I closed the door, and in that instant, we both knew what was going to happen.

The front door exploded inwards in a shower of wood. Voldemort stepped inside.

"Where is the baby?" He hissed in a snakelike voice. I brought my wand up protectively.

"You can't have him, Voldemort. We'll never give him up, especially to the likes of you," I spat back. Voldemort sighed.

"Very well." Before I could curse him, he shouted a spell, and there was a blinding flash of green light. My last thought was that I hoped I had given Lily and Harry the time they had needed to escape.

~* Lily's POV *~

I tore through the first bedroom and fled into the adjoining room, which was Harry's. I had just slammed the door behind us when I heard Voldemort's spell, and then James's scream.

"No," I whispered to myself, not wanting to believe what I knew was true. I felt a part of me die with James. I heard Voldemort moving into the first bedroom, and knew that I wasn't going to make it out of the house before he found you. I had to make a stand. For Harry. I gently lowered him into his crib, where he stared up at me with his big green eyes that were so like my own. "I love you Harry," I whispered before turning around. The door to the room opened slowly, and Voldemort stepped in.

"Give me the boy, and you will not be harmed." he hissed at me.

"Never," I screamed and flung a curse at him. He deflected it effortlessly.

"You leave me no choice then." I stepped in front of Harry protectively. Voldemort brought up his wand. "Avada Kedavra!" He screamed at me. I could hear myself screaming Harry's name. I'm coming James, you thought, I'm coming.

Voldemort's POV-

I looked at the body of Lily Potter and laughed. They had been easier to get rid of then I had anticipated. I stepped over her body, unfazed, and looked at the boy. He looked exactly as James Potter had looked before I had killed him. A harmless baby. This was the boy that had been prophesized to kill me. He would be easy enough to dispose of. I raised my wand and muttered the same curse that I had used to kill his parents. Suddenly, without explanation, the house exploded around me as the curse somehow rebounded off of the baby and came flying back at me.

~*Sirius' POV*~

I rummaged through the debris of my best friend's house, until I eventually found Harry, alive and cranky, next to his mother's body. I closed lily's petrified eyes with my fingers gently, and then gasped when I saw the scar. A bolt of lightning on the forehead of my godson.

"Hey Harry," I greeted, both ecstatic that he at least survived and devastated over the rest of the night's tragedies. I cradled the small black haired boy, he really did look so much like James, until Hagrid appeared over me. It was then that my need for revenge took over. Nodding as Hagrid explained what Dumbledore wanted, but not really listening, I offered him my beloved motorcycle for the journey. I kissed Harry's forehead, right on his fresh scar, and stalked off into the night. Wormtail would pay.

I spent the rest of the night and day searching for him, finally finding him on a Muggle street. I whipped out my wand to curse him, no, kill him, for what he had done to the ones I loved. The ones he used to love as well. But he yelled some rubbish about me betraying Lily and James, and blasted himself to pieces, along with thirteen Muggles, leaving me looking guilty. That damn rat! I swore as I noticed the small gray rat, with one finger missing, crawl into the sewers...


	66. Dumbledore's Proposal

My world had come crashing down around me twelve years ago, my best friends and my fiancé gone all in one day. Remus and I had stayed close for awhile; we were the only two left. But we couldn't be near each other without being reminded of the pain we still felt so keenly. So we drifted apart, only sending Christmas and birthday cards and then not even that. I made new friends; ones that didn't know about my past.

I'd fought for Harry, as hard as I could. But Dumbledore insisted he stay with that horrid wench Petunia and her family. I was to have no contact with him. It killed me; I wanted to see how he looked growing from an infant to a toddler to a young boy.

But I neither saw him nor heard anything about him for twelve years. I knew he'd be entering his 3rd year at Hogwarts. I had his birthday marked on my calendar every year. My godson, a teenager! And my only images were tattered old photographs of a tiny baby.

I was shocked when I found out. A disoriented Cornelius Fudge had burst into the office, shouting, "He's escaped!" It was five minutes before he could explain that Sirius Black, 'Voldemort's right hand man', had escaped from Azkaban.

My heart skipped a beat. I'd never believed that it was Sirius who'd betrayed us all. I'd known him too well. But everyone else was convinced he'd been working for Voldemort, and that he'd escaped to help him return to power. Bull, in my opinion. I just hoped I'd be kept out of this particular case.

"O'Connell!" Fudge called across the room. I approached the Minister.

"Yes, sir?"

"I want you running this case."

"Sir-"

"You knew him; you'll give us an advantage. You know how he thinks, where he's likely to hide."

"Sir-"

"We'll catch him in no time with you on the trail."

"Sir, I can't work on this case."

"Pardon me?"

"I won't do it. It's like betraying someone I loved and trusted."

"Kara, he fooled you all those years. It was all an act. The Sirius Black you knew was never real." He said this all in a condescending tone. It made me sick. "You're heading up the team."

"No, I'm not."

"This is the job I'm offering you, As your boss, I'm ordering you to take it."

"No. if you don't let me stay out of this, I'm quitting." He didn't say anything. "Goodbye, Cornelius," I said, striding towards the exit. He grabbed my wrist with his hand.

"O'Connell, don't be ridiculous." I wrenched my hand away.

"Goodbye." I walked out of the Auror department, leaving a startled Minister of Magic in my wake.

I still looked upon that day with fondness. After quitting, I moved back home to America, taking a job at one of the American ministry offices in New York.

It was there that I spent the next three years, until Harry was in the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts. It was there that I heard about Sirius' death.

My boss had come in and announced the 'good' news. I tried to look happy, like everyone else did. But while they celebrated over the death of a mass murderer, I mourned the loss of the only man I'd ever loved. With his death I buried the small hope I'd always carried that someday we could be together once again.

I didn't let yourself cry over it. Not until two weeks after, when the innocence of Sirius Black was exposed by none other than the English Ministry of Magic. It was the talk of the Wizarding community for weeks; everywhere I went, I heard 'I always knew he was innocent,' and 'poor guy, rotting in prison for no reason'.

It was at work one day when I heard "I feel sorry for his girlfriend."

"I heard about her. Used to work as an Auror in London." I had frozen, my fingers clasped around the necklace I always wore: my engagement ring on a chain.

"Are you alright, O'Connell?" one of the guys who'd been speaking asked.

"No," I answered. "I don't like people talking about me."

"We weren't-"

"You were Black's girlfriend?" the other guy asked. I nodded once before resuming the walk back to my desk. The news would be all over the office within ten minutes, I knew. Perfect, just perfect. I'd just had to open my big mouth.

"Is it true, Kara? You used to date Sirius Black?" I nodded wearily as my friend and fellow Auror, Melissa, asked the question I knew I'd be hearing a thousand times more in the next few days. "Really? Why didn't you ever say something?"

"The past is the past, okay?" I snapped.

"Okay." She left me alone. But no one else did. I was extremely glad when it was time to go home.

I unlocked the door to my small apartment and went straight to the fridge for a firewhisky. Rough day.

Sitting down at my small kitchen table, it was a full five minutes before I noticed the bright red bird sitting on my window.

"Fawkes?" I breathed in awe. Dumbledore's phoenix flew over and sat in front of me on my table. I noticed the letter attached to Fawkes' foot and opened it with interest. Whatever I was expecting, I didn't get it.

Dumbledore was asking me for a favor. He wanted me to- teach at Hogwarts? I had to make sure I'd only had one firewhisky, and then read the letter again. But I'd seen it right; Dumbledore wanted me to 'co-teach' Defense Against the Dark Arts.

At first I didn't even think about accepting. I was halfway through your polite declination when I stopped to think. Harry was at Hogwarts. And Dumbledore didn't offer a job to someone without a reason. I knew things were bad over there, with Voldemort back. Maybe he needed my help? I pushed the thought from my head. If he needed me he'd have asked years ago. Sighing, I decided I could figure out Dumbledore's motives later. For now I'd just accept, and not ask questions. At least I'd avoid the questions directed at me.

So I crumpled up the first draft and wrote again to Dumbledore, accepting the teaching position.

"Professor O'Connell," I said out loud. "There's something I never expected to hear." Shaking my head, I prepared myself for bed. As I drifted off, I couldn't help but wonder what I was getting myself in to.


	67. Return To Hogwarts

I gave my two weeks' notice the next day. It felt good; I'd never been as happy here as I had at England's Ministry. The spark of excitement and adventure just wasn't here; I missed the adrenaline rush. I thought I'd love this job forever, but forever wasn't as long as I had planned. Not that it ever was.

August 30th came quickly. My possessions and I made the journey to the Leaky Cauldron, a place I hadn't seen in years. It hadn't changed a bit. Tom greeted me like an old friend, refusing to let me pay for my room and telling me I was the best bartender he'd ever hired.

I was due at Hogwarts the next morning. Until then, I meandered around Diagon Alley, visiting people I hadn't been in contact with for a very long time. At one point I thought I saw someone who looked exactly like James, but I attributed it to all the memories that floated around this place.

I headed back to the Leaky Cauldron around dinnertime, and had begun to make my way back to my room when I heard, "Kara?" I spun around to face a redheaded woman who looked an awful lot like...

"Molly?" She nodded. My face broke into a smile as she came over to me and gave me a hug.

"Come join us for dinner!" she insisted, leading me over to a table set for at least ten.

"Who's us?"

"Harry's here, if that's what you mean," she said quietly. "Sit!" She pushed me down into a chair.

"Okay," I said as she sat down across from me. The kids at the table were all staring at me.

"Kids, this is Kara O'Connell," Molly introduced me. I waved at them quickly, not even having a chance to look at Harry before Molly demanded my attentions once more. "So, what brings you back to England?"

"I'm going to teach at Hogwarts." Molly began to laugh.

"Funny! Really now, what brings you back to England?" she said once her hysterics were over.

"I'm going to teach at Hogwarts," I repeated firmly. Molly's smile turned serious.

"Really?" I nodded.

"Is it that hard to believe?" I asked uncertainly.

"No, of course not!" Molly said, a little unconvincingly. "What are you teaching?"

"Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"That's believable." We both smiled. "Harry, dear, come here."

"What are you doing?" I hissed as my godson rose to approach and I got your first good look at him in over fourteen years. I had to bite my tongue to keep from exclaiming about how much he resembled James.

"Harry, this is your new DADA teacher, Professor O'Connell." Harry extended a hand, and I shook it. Moll gestured for me to make conversation.

"How's your summer been so far, Harry?" His face fell. Sirius. Whoops.

"It's not my best," he said quietly. I doubted any summer had been enjoyable, what with him living with Petunia...

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks."

"I'm sure you get it all the time, but you look an awful lot like your parents," I said before I could restrain myself. But I was glad I'd spoken up when he perked up a bit.

"You knew my mum and dad?"

"A long time ago."

"I'm sure Harry would love to hear a bit about them," Molly prompted.

"It's not like we were best friends or anything," I ignored Molly's sigh, "but they were good people."

"Oh." He was disappointed that I couldn't tell him more. Why didn't I? I asked yourself, although I knew the answer. I felt guilty for not getting custody of him. And for not contacting him once he started Hogwarts. He had so needed someone who loved him in his life, but I'd stayed away. Granted, Dumbledore had asked me to. But I still felt terrible about being a stranger to him.

Harry had gone to sit back down, and Molly reintroduced me as Professor O'Connell.

"This is Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. And Harry, but you knew that. Arthur and the twins will be joining us soon." As if on cue, three red-headed men, two of which looked exactly alike, entered the pub.

"Fred and George sure have grown," I whispered to Molly.

"Yeah, into pranksters," she returned.

"Kara?" Arthur inquired. I nodded.

"Hey Arthur."

"What are you doing here? I'd heard you went back to America?"

"I'm actually going to be teaching at Hogwarts." I really didn't understand what was so funny, but Arthur was laughing just as hard as Molly had.

"I wish she'd been our teacher," one of the twins muttered.

"She's hot," the other one agreed. My eyes widened.

"I suppose," Ron murmured. "What about you, Harry?"

"She's our teacher!"

"So? Honestly, if she wasn't what would you think?" I didn't really want to know, so I said,

"I can hear everything you're saying, you know." Although I didn't turn around, I knew the Weasley boys would be redder than their hair.

Arthur had just stopped laughing.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

"Are you sure you can go more than a week without hexing or hurting someone?" I smiled. I did love that part...

"I'm showing no withdrawal symptoms yet." He smiled.

"DADA, I presume?" I nodded. "I've heard Dumbledore's trying a multiple teacher approach." By now, everyone at the table was listening.

"He did mention that," I admitted, "but I don't know how it works or who I'll be teaching with."

"Well Dumbledore's smart to ask you to help. Did you kids know Kara was an Auror?"

"They do now," I muttered.

"What's it like?" Harry asked.

"Time consuming, energy draining, and hard, but it's the best job in the entire Wizarding world. Just don't expect too much free time." Harry and Ron hung on my every word.

"What sorts of things do you do?"

"All sorts. Security assignments, raids, occasionally a murder or catching a criminal." Harry stiffened.

"Or a non-criminal," he muttered.

"I had nothing to do with that!" I exclaimed. Harry's head shot up in surprise. I sighed; there was no way for him to know that he was looking at the only person in the entire world who'd believed Sirius' innocence.

"Oh. Okay," Harry said quietly.

"So, you want to be an Auror?" I asked him, changing the subject.

"Well, yeah."

"That's what your dad was training to be."

"Really?" I nodded.

"He was good. Study hard, exercise, and pay attention to what's going on around you. You'll do just as well as him." He nodded and thanked me, smiling.

Dinner carried on, with me catching up with Molly and Arthur as the kids talked amongst themselves. I hurried off to my room early; I wanted to rest up as much as possible.

I arrived in Hogsmeade and looked at the small town for the first time in over five years. Everywhere I turned, I saw ghost images of my friends, talking and laughing and kissing. James and Sirius snickered as they exited Zonko's pockets heavy with pranks. Nat and Remus held hands and smiled at each other on their way up to the Shrieking Shack, where a werewolf, two, dogs, and a stag ran around.

I shook my head quickly and they disappeared; I as left alone in the almost deserted wizarding towns. Shops were boarded up, and the few people who were about looked at everyone else with wary eyes. Voldemort had taken his toll on the economy once again.

Heart heavy, I levitated my trunk and began the lonely trek up to the castle. I caught my first glimpse of Hogwarts fifteen minutes later. Tears sprang into my eyes. I had never wanted to see this place again. I took a deep breath and walked up to the large entrance of the school. With one last inhale, I pushed open the doors and stepped into what had once been my favorite place in the world.


	68. Flying Motorcycles

Professor McGonagall was waiting for me inside.

"Miss O'Connell," she greeted formally, although a grin tugged at her lips.

"Professor!" I exclaimed, happy to see her.

"How are you, Kara?" she asked.

"I'm okay."

"You're going to make a wonderful teacher."

"I hope so." The two of us had begun walking through the hallways. She led me up three flights of stairs and to the DADA room.

"This is where you'll be conducting your classes," she explained as I entered. "And through here is your office." The office was a cozy room, furnished with dark wood and maroon upholstery. There were two desks, both facing the middle of the room, with a portrait behind each one. If I walked straight across the office, there was a doorway into another classroom, where I assumed the other teacher would instruct.

"This," McGonagall began, breaking the silence, "is your room." She pointed to the portrait behind my desk, of a young girl reading a book. "The password is Flying Motorcycles. You can change it if you want," she added apologetically.

"I'll change it later," I told her.

"Well then, that is all. Your class schedule is on your desk." She began to walk out.

"Professor?" I called.

"Please, call me Minerva."

"Okay Minerva, do you know much about this whole co-teacher arrangement?" She nodded.

"You will each be covering half of the curriculum, so more in-depth study is possible. The information is all there." She pointed to the thick manila folder on my desk.

"Thanks." She turned to leave once more. "Pro- Minerva?"

"Yes."

"Who am I teaching with?"

"Professor Dumbledore wishes for that to remain a secret for the time being."

"Oh," I said quietly as she finally exited the room. "Flying Motorcycles," I told the portrait flatly. The girl looked up from her book and let me through.

It was a simple suite, and I liked it immediately. The walls were a pale green, and a white area rug covered part of the hard wood floor. The queen-sized bed on the left side of the room was made of a light wood, and a sheer white canopy hung over it. On the opposite side of the room were bookshelves and a love seat, with upholstery to match the walls. A small corner table and candle sat next to it for late reading.

The whole room had a light, airy feel. I smiled as I noticed the two doors on the far wall. Opening the one on the right, I found a small closet. And the one on the left revealed my bathroom.

Its walls were a soft, muted pink. Although Iyou'd never been a fan of the color, this almost-white hue worked well for the bathroom. A large tub was on the right, with a showerhead and curtain as well. The sink and toilet stood opposite, gleaming white and silver. There was a simple elegance that I loved.

I made my way back to my bedroom and began to unpack. I did it the Muggle way, to pass the time. I played my favorite songs on my magical stereo, singing along as I stacked books and folded clothes.

I didn't touch the folder on my desk, preferring to wait and sift through it with my partner. Whoever that was. I ate a ham sandwich in my room and turned in early, bringing a book with me to bed.

September 1st dawned cloudy and gray. I stretched and made my way to breakfast early.

Already most of the staff had assembled in the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore spotted me before I could examine who exactly was there.

"Ah, Miss O'Connell, so pleased you could join us!" I nodded. "I suppose you're wondering how the DADA program is going to work this year?" I nodded again. It had been years since I'd last seen Albus Dumbledore, and it seemed the only change in his appearance was his strangely blackened hand. His demeanor hadn't altered at all. Dumbledore was still cheery and a little bit odd. "I have enlisted the help of you and one other person to teach this most important subject."

"Who?" He smiled.

"All in good time." He turned and waved at someone. "Good morning, Professor Snape!"

"Professor Snape? Severus Snape?" Dumbledore nodded, smiling.

"Here he comes now." I looked over to where Dumbledore's attention was, and there, sure enough, was a 32-year-old Severus Snape. Same hooked nose, same greasy hair, same steely glare. And all I could think was: 'Snivellus' Snape taught at Hogwarts? Sure, he'd come over to our side shortly before Voldemort fell, but Dumbledore couldn't trust him enough to keep him in the school!

"He's not teaching with me, is he?"

"No. Professor Snape teaches Potions." I sighed with relief. "And you'll be happy to know that one of your old teachers, Professor Slughorn, has agreed to come back and teach Arithmancy." I tried to look happy. I was never one of Slughorn's favorites, like Lily and James had been.

"Great," I forced out, and resumed eating my breakfast.

I spent the day wandering around the school, visiting old haunts like the kitchens, where I met an interesting little house elf called Dobby, and the Room of Requirement. I passed the library in late afternoon. Stopping just outside of it, I bent over.

K.O. + S.B.

I smiled and ran my fingers over it. I'd never thought it would still be there, that concrete proof of a happier time. With a sigh, I walked away without ever entering the library.

The start of term feast was as grand as I remembered. The Sorting Hat's song was enjoyable, and Harry waved at me when he caught my eye. But there was no sign of this mystery teacher I was supposed to work with. I decided not to worry about it and made conversation with Minerva and Professor Flitwick.

When the feast was over, I made my way back to my room along with the throngs of students on the way to their common rooms. I bumped into someone half way to your office.

"Sorry, Professor," Harry apologized.

"That's alright, Harry. Hello Ron, Hermione." They greeted me in return. I asked how their train ride had been and were listening to Harry talk about Slughorn's lunch when I saw a distinctly familiar brown head...


	69. The Marauder's Map

"Remus?" The man turned around, and there was my old friend.

"Kara!" he exclaimed, rushing over to me. I flung my arms around him.

"Please tell me you're teaching DADA," I said once I'd let go.

"I am. Did Dumbledore get you, too?"

"Yeah." I stood in silence for a moment. "It's been too damn long, Remus."

"I know. Almost seven years."

"So how've you been?" I noticed he looked aged and tired.

"Alright. How about you? I heard you'd been living in New York."

"I was. And I've been okay." I realized then that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still standing in the hall, observing the conversation. "Have you three met Professor Lupin?" Remus smiled.

"I was their professor in their third year."

"Was he any good?" I asked.

"The best," Harry answered confidently. "How do you two know each other?"

"We went to school together," I said. "Now move along, you belong in the common room." They bade us good night and walked off.

"I always knew you'd end up teaching," I gloated to Remus on the way to our office.

"I never thought you'd teach. You were supposed to be an Auror forever. What happened?"

"I quit."

"Well, I didn't see them firing you. Why did you quit?"

"Fudge tried to make me hunt for Sirius," I told him quietly. "I told him I wouldn't, and when he tried to make me, I quit." Remus didn't say anything until we'd arrived at our third floor office.

"I should have listened to you. Maybe if I had-"

"But you didn't. No sense regretting it now." He nodded.

"You know, I talked to him when he was in hiding." I looked up at him. He continued, telling me of the events that had occurred during Harry's third year. "And now we're using his house for Order Headquarters. He left it to Harry."

"I should have known Dumbledore would have called the Order back together. Why didn't he ask me?"

"He knew you wanted to be left alone. But now we could really use you. What do you say?"

"What do you need me to do?" He laughed.

"Just come to the meetings, okay?" I nodded.

The night wore on, as me and Remus caught up on everything that had happened over the last seven years. Not much in the romance department for either of us, but I listened with interest as Remus explained all of the jobs he'd moved around in. He did the same when I reiterated my experiences in both the English and American ministries. Finally Remus retired to his room.

Or tried to. His portrait, one of a crazy knight, Sir Cadogan, wouldn't let him in for ten minutes. I was very glad for the quiet girl in my portrait. Finally Remus was let in, his password being 'Hot Cocoa' (I winced). I, on the other hand, was in charge of patrolling the hallways for the next three hours.

I was halfway through my shift when I saw a slight movement in the hall; the next second an old, worn piece of parchment fell to the ground. I noticed the small coffee stain on the top left corner, from when Sirius had had it out at breakfast. I walked over and picked up what I knew to be the Marauders' Map.

"Hello, boys." Instantly the familiar, curly writing appeared.

Messr. Prongs wishes to tell Miss O'Connell that she is looking ravishing this evening. He would like to beg her to go easy on whichever one of these brilliant Marauders is in trouble with her this time.

"Try Professor O'Connell, James," I whispered.

Messr. Prongs would like to ask how in the hell 'Professor' O'Connell ended up teaching.

Messr. Wormtail seconds the inquiry, and would also like to ask the Professor to please kick Mrs. Norris for him.

"I'll kick you, you traitorous son of a bitch," I growled. Messr. Wormtail said nothing more.

Messr. Moony would like to congratulate Professor O'Connell on her position, and would like to bet a Galleon that she is teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. He would also like to ask you how long he and his darling Natalie have been married.

I stayed silent.

Messr. Moony is guessing he doesn't want to know.

Messr. Prongs wants to know how many kids Kara and Sirius have. And hopes that one of them is named after him.

Messr. Padfoot asks Messr. Prongs to kindly keep his mouth shut, and sends his brilliant, gorgeous Professor all his love.

By now I was trying not to cry. "Leave it to the four of you to find a way to suck up when you're not even here." I didn't specify what 'here' meant.

Messr. Padfoot wants to point out that we're not always sucking up. The brilliant Marauders can insult people as well.

I had to laugh. I'd bet Snape had got his hands on this once. "Of course you have," I told him. "Sorry, guys, but I'm going to have to ask you to save this so I may show it to our darling Messr. Moony, but I must use the map itself now."

Messr. Prongs advises Professor O'Connell to watch out for Filch. He might try to give her detention.

Messr. Padfoot wishes Kara a happy night, and hopes that she will not ruin the fun of those pranksters that have succeeded us.

"I'll try," I promised him. With that, I got out my wand and tapped the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I checked for my dot, and although I'd suspected who the late night wanderer was, I verified that it was indeed the son of Messr. Prongs. "Follow me, Mr. Potter." I reached out and pulled the Invisibility Cloak off of the stunned Harry before turning and leading him back to my office.

I was surprised to find Remus sitting on the couch in your office, reading a book.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked him. He shook his head. Then, noticing Harry, he put down his book.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter," he greeted pleasantly. I told Harry to sit, and he did, next to Remus.

"I think there's something I need to tell you, Harry. You know how I said your parents and I weren't close?" He nodded. "I lied. We were best friends for a long time. I met your mother in my first year. We were inseparable." I paused, but Harry said nothing. "I feel badly for not telling you all of this from the beginning, but I guess I felt a little guilty."

"What for?"

"I should have taken you when your parents died. But I couldn't, because of the protection Petunia offered you." My eyed narrowed when I spoke her name. Stupid wench.

"You couldn't have done anything," he said quietly.

"There's more."

"Oh."

"I was engaged to Sirius," I blurted out. His eyes widened.

"What?"

"I was engaged to Sirius."

"I knew you looked familiar."

"Huh?"

"There was this picture of you two together in his room," he informed me softly. Silence hung in the air for a few moments. "Can I go to bed now?" he asked finally. I shook my head.

"There's more." He settled into the couch. "I'm your godmother."

"How am I supposed to respond to that?"

"I don't know. But I just wanted you to know that I never wanted to stay away; Dumbledore asked me to. I am sorry." He didn't move or speak. He stared at the ground, with both Remus and I watching him.

"Can you tell me about them?" he inquired finally. I smiled.

"Everything you want to know."

"Tell me."

"Everything?" He nodded. "Would you like some tea? This'll take awhile."


	70. Smiles and Regrets

Remus and I did as Harry asked and told him everything, from first year through seventh, including fights and dates and pranks. I told him about Quidditch practices and Sirius' getting hit with a Bludger. I told him about the Barbies and the dances and summer vacation. He was informed of the flashing underwear, fireworks, and penguins that colored our school years. I reminisced about proposals and Auror training and (to his embarrassment) the day he was born. He left our office well after two, tired and satisfied.

"It felt good to remember," Remus murmured.

"I know."

"All those years of trying to push it away."

"Yeah."

"I guess I'm going to go to bed," he said, striding towards his room. But then he laughed. "Remember Landon?" he asked. I blushed.

"Yes."

"I ran into about a year ago."

"Really? What was he doing?"

"He's married to Kerry Slots." I burst into laughter.

"That girl Sirius dated who hated me?"

"Yeah. The one who spilled water on your shirt."

"They deserve each other." Remus sat back down next to me. "Do you remember that time we pranked James and Sirius?" He nodded, smiling.

"That was great. We moved around the letters in their alphabet soup so they read creepy things."

"Scared the fucking shit out of them!" I stated proudly.

"Nothing beats the time we put fireworks on Mrs. Norris," he reminisced fondly.

"Amazing, that was," I admitted.

"We sure had some great times here," he said.

"Yeah."

"I lost my virginity here."

"I didn't."

"Shut up, Miss Pure."

"Funny. But I'll always remember walking in on the two of you. Unfortunately." He smiled.

"Never left the door unlocked again, though."

"Lesson learned."

"Some days I'd give anything to be back in school."

"I know there are a few things I would have done differently."

"No regrets! Isn't that what you always say?" I nodded. "But there are some things I would have changed, as well. Not many, but a couple."

"I wouldn't have fought with Lily."

"I wouldn't have studied as hard."

"I wouldn't have waited a year to tell Sirius how I felt." He was silent for a moment.

"I would have married Natalie."

"I would have married Sirius." We sat in silence together for over a half an hour.

"Good night," Remus said finally.

"Night, Remie. It's good to have you around again."

"I know. I'm a great guy." I laughed at him when he turned and ran into his desk. "Ow," he muttered before entering his room.

The next morning was the first day of classes. Of course, Remus and I had never bothered to go through those thick manila folders, so we scrambled to do so before breakfast.

"So I'm teaching what?" I asked for the third time.

"Today you're teaching the sixth years and then the fourth years. Show the sixth years how to conjure up a Patronus, and begin teaching the fourth years about the Unforgivable Curses."

"Got it."

"Finally," he muttered. I smacked his arm lightly.

"Breakfast time!" I announced then, pulling Remus by the hand down to the Great Hall.

Harry smiled at us when we entered, and I smiled back and gave a small wave.

The first lesson of my teaching career had my godson sitting in the first row. Ron and Hermione sat on either side of him, arguing about something. I smiled to myself; they reminded me of Sirius and I.

"Good morning, class," I began when the bell rang. "I'm Professor O'Connell. I will be teaching you half of the curriculum required for your NEWTs, and more importantly to help you survive during this dangerous time in our world. We're going to begin today with the Patronus Charm, a spell that repels dementors." About half of the people in the class smiled; I had a feeling they knew how to do this. I demonstrated the wand movement and taught the incantation. And then I thought of the happiest memory I could think of (the day Sirius proposed), and chanted "Expecto Patronum!"

A large, black dog with floppy ears exploded out of the end of my wand. Harry, Hermione, and Ron's eyes widened; they recognized Snuffles. He trotted around the room once before fading.

"Ready to try it?" By the end of the period, only half of the class had managed to conjure a Patronus. Harry and those students who'd been grinning had all managed on the first or second try. I'd stopped helping people to watch the noble white stag gallop around the room. Prongs sure was beautiful.

The lesson on Unforgivables in the afternoon was a hard one for me; it made you think of that awful night. But I sucked it up and even assigned my first essay at the end of the day.

"That was kind of fun," I told Remus later that night in our office. "I mean, it's nothing like being an Auror, but not bad." He smiled.

"I've always enjoyed it. I'm just glad Scrimgeour repealed that Half-Breeds Law so Dumbledore could re-hire me."

"Me, too. Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Teach the first years about Avada Kedavra and the seventh years about hinkypunks?" he suggested.

"Ha ha. I'm going to bed, Mr. Wise Guy. I'll see you in the morning."

"See you then."


	71. Not So Fondly Reminiscing

The weeks passed, and teaching became easier and more routine. I no longer needed Remus to remind me which class I had next or which subject I was supposed to cover. At least not too often. The first Hogsmeade trip of the year was on the third weekend of October. Remus and I were going to down to covertly supervise and have a drink in the Three Broomsticks.

"Kara? Is that you?" Rosmerta asked as we entered.

"Yes."

"It sure has been awhile." I smiled without enthusiasm.

"Yeah, it has." Harry and his friends entered and sat at a table close by.

"I used to love when you three would come in here and talk about the baby," she said, reminiscing. I nodded. "That was a long time ago."

"Yeah." She patted my arm and walked over to Harry's table to take orders. I rolled my eyes over her head. Harry saw and laughed, and Remus and I sat at the table next to his.

"People sure do like to remind me how old I am," I said once we were seated. Remus laughed.

"But you look younger than you are. I look ten years older than I am." I shook my head.

"You do not."

"But I do, and we both know it. It's all those transformations."

"Must be. So what do teachers do in Hogsmeade?"

"We sit and drink."

"Sounds like a plan." I ordered a firewhisky, as did Remus. Sitting in silence, we observed the students, talking and laughing with their friends and more-than-friends.

"Professor?" I heard from behind me. Now that I'd gotten used to the title, I responded by turning around. It was Harry.

"Yes Harry?"

"Could we join you?"

"Sure." He, Ron, and Hermione dragged chairs over to our table. "Did you all need something?" Harry hesitated.

"Well...I was wondering if you could tell me more about Sirius."

"Oh. Ok. What do you want to know?"

"Would saying everything a second time be too much?"

"No."

"Well then, everything."

"Did you want me to start now?"

"Whenever's good for you."

"Where do I start?"

"The beginning?" Remus asked.

"But I don't know the beginning." He smiled.

"I'll help you."

"Okay. Sirius Black was my biggest enemy throughout the first six years of school. I hated him. We'd prank each other and he'd tease me and call me names. I couldn't stand the sight of him, much less those damned Barbies that followed him around. Excuse my French," I added.

"Barbies? Isn't that a doll?"

"Yes. But it's also the name of the fan club that followed him around. High heels, too much make up, high pitched voices, giggly..." Remus put a hand on my arm to stop the oncoming rant. "Anyway, we didn't like each other at all. But then we started talking, and he didn't make me want to rip off his head and feed it to the Giant Squid, or beat him with a broom until he didn't know what century it was, or-" Remus put his hand on my arm again. "Sorry. I really didn't like him."

"I could actually tell," Ron told me.

"Of course you could. So anyway, we started talking and then I stopped being so annoyed by him and then I started to like him, much to my disgust, and then I stopped being disgusted by the fact that I wasn't disgusted, and just liked him. And then he kissed another girl, Kristin, and we didn't talk for like six months, I think, and then we started talking again, I won't tell you why because it's not good, and then-"

"Kara," Remus stopped me. "It might be good if you slowed down."

"Right. Sorry. It just seems so easy to explain quickly. But there are a lot of details. So narrow down the question. You'll get your everything, but piece by piece."

"Okay. Did he really have girls following him around?"

"Yes, sadly, he did. One even put pictures of him on her bra, and followed him into our dorm," Remus laughed. "And then there was Kerry, who attacked Kara, and Kristin, who Sirius never listened to, and Mia, who James and I scared away..."

"Plus millions more," you added.

"But he didn't really let it get to him. Not as much as people thought, anyway. When he was around us, it was always good ol' Padfoot."

"Unless he was being stupid," I put in. "Like when he told Snape about the Willow-"

"I heard about that," Harry interrupted. "Dumbledore told me."

"Yeah? That was messy. I was so pissed at him."

"Even worse than I was."

"That's because you were used to the level of his idiocy. I was new to it back then." Remus laughed.

"That was quite possibly the stupidest thing he ever did."

"Yes. At least, the stupid stupidest thing he ever did. There were many more funny stupid things." And for the next hour we talked about the many pranks and jokes and full on dumb moments of Sirius' life. I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time.

"How did he propose?" Hermione asked a few moments later. My grin softened.

"We were at St. Mungo's, actually. The day after Harry was born. And he just asked me. And I just said yes."

"Simple."

"Perfect." The conversation had reached a standstill.

"Well, we're going to go to the shops now," Harry finally broke the silence. "Can I come around later?" I nodded. Harry had taken to visiting your office in the evenings, to talk and hear stories about our pasts.

"I'll see you later." Remus and I were left alone. "I've never met one person with that many questions before."

"But what would you be doing in his place?"

"Asking a hell of a lot more than he is."

"I believe that."

"Ready to head back?"

"Yeah."

It was nine o'clock when Harry entered.

"Hey," I greeted as I motioned him in. "How was the rest of the day?"

"Alright."

"Good."

"So can you keep telling me?"

"Yes I can. But I can't keep it up at his pace for much longer. Between this and classes I'll have no voice."

"Oh."

"But you're welcome to take some pictures." His face brightened.

"There are pictures?"

"I have tons of pictures." And so he left two hours later, arms laden with old photo albums. Little did I know my godson would spend the better part of the night silently crying over them.


	72. The Rumor

The weeks passed quickly as teaching became more routine. December first was upon us in no time.

That morning at breakfast, a tiny, over-energetic owl flew over to me. I calmed the bird with a piece of bacon before taking the parchment from his foot.

Dear Kara,  
Hello! I hope teaching is going well for you. I'm writing to ask you to join us for at least part of your Christmas vacation. Headquarters will be a lot of fun, I promise. Also, someone needs to go through Sirius' things. I think it should be you.  
Happy Holidays!  
Molly

My eyes went from the letter to Remus, who was reading it from next to me.

"What do you think?"

"You should come I'll be there." I thought about it. The last thing I wanted was to go through Sirius' room. But someone had to do it, and Remus, Harry, and the Weasleys would be there.

So at lunch time I sent the little owl back to Molly, telling her we'd see her in a couple of weeks.

Lessons became harder to teach as the break drew near. Both the students and I were less focused. I had to give out ten detentions to kids who'd forgotten homework three times.

"I can't wait until break," I said suddenly the night of the 12th to Remus. We were both sitting on the couch in our study, resting. The full moon had been two nights previous, and fatigue still had its hold on us.

"Me neither. It'll be good to get a rest." He yawned, and then I did.

"Yeah," I spoke through it. "This is a hard job."

"Harder than being an Auror?"

"Yes. That came a lot easier. This comes easy for you; you're lucky."

"I guess you could call it that." I laughed and yawned again.

"I'm going to go to bed," I announced. I didn't move.

"Me too."

"Professors?" I started awake. A short, fifth year Hufflepuff girl, with two perfectly symmetrical brunette braids was standing over me. Looking around, I saw that I was still in our office, lying next to Remus on the couch.

"Did you need something?" I yawned.

"I have an assignment to turn in to Professor Lupin," the girl told me.

"Well, he's, ah, busy right now." Remus snored loudly from the couch and I struggled not to laugh. "If you give it to me I can put it on his desk for you."

"Thank you." She handed me a think report and headed for the door, looking back once before she walked out, braids bouncing behind her.

"Remus, it's time to get up!" I called. No response. Not that I'd expected one. I walked over and shook his shoulder lightly. "Remus." He began to stir, and then turned and fell off of the couch and on to my legs, causing me to topple down with him. We were struggling to get up when the door opened again.

"Sorry!" It was Seamus Finnigan, one of Harry's fellow 6th year Gryffindors. "I can come back later."

"Nonsense. What did you need, Mr. Finnigan?" I pushed Remus' laughing form off of me and went over to him.

"I have a report for Professor Lupin," he explained, holding out a thick stack of parchment even bigger than the braid girl's.

"I'll be sure to give it to him when he stops laughing."

"Thank you." He exited quickly.

"Get up, you idiot," I laughed. His response was more laughter. "What's funny?" he shrugged and laughed harder. "Get up and get ready for breakfast," I ordered before going into my own room to shower and dress.

Half an hour later, a non-chuckling Remus and I made your way down to the Great Hall.

"I'm starving," I complained when he walked too slow. He sped up. "Remus, you know I can't go that fast!" He grinned and began to walk at a good pace. "What's up with you this morning?"

"He looks like he just got laid," I heard someone say. I figured they were having their own conversation and ignored it, although McGonagall would have given him a lecture on proper language.

The Great Hall was buzzing with the sounds of talking and laughter when we arrived. It was actually louder than usual, but I figured everyone was making holiday plans. And I also felt like people were staring at me, but I attributed it to the fact that Harry was trying to catch my eye.

When he finally did, his eyes were questioning me. Mine questioned him right back, as I didn't know what he needed. I shrugged after a minute and mouthed that I'd talk to him later. Then Dumbledore sat down, the smile on his face larger than usual.

"Good morning, Professors," he greeted happily.

"Morning."

"The latest gossip is very interesting," he continued. Since when did Dumbledore tell gossip at the breakfast table? "It seems that the majority of our pupils believe that Professors Lupin and O'Connell are dating." I spit out the orange juice I was swallowing. And then laughed. And laughed. Remus joined me.

"That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!" I exclaimed, only half-aware that the entire student body was watching me. "Why would I date Remus? No offense, man."

"None taken, believe me." A smile was still playing on his lips. We both shook our heads and resumed our meals, and the buzz of gossip began again. I glanced over at Harry and saw his relieved expression. I rolled my eyes and winked and he smiled back at me.

"Why would everyone think we were dating?" I asked.

"It could have possibly been that we were on the floor together when Mr. Finnigan walked in," Remus explained slowly.

"Oh."

It was finally December 20th, the first day of Christmas vacation. I Apparated to Grimmauld Place, pictured Dumbledore's note, and walked into the newly appeared door to Number 12, the place that had caused my fiancé so much pain.


	73. The Most Noble House of Black

I stepped inside and were immediately hugged by Molly, who could only have gotten to me so fast if she were watching from the window.

"Happy Christmas!" she whispered happily.

"You too!" I whispered back, just as unwilling to wake up the portrait of Mrs. Black as she was. After hugging Remus, Molly led me into the dark, cavern-like kitchen.

"Sit and eat!" she commanded, so Remus and I took seats at the table and consumed the lunch she'd put out for the three of us. "The children should be here around dinner time. Arthur and Alastor are going to pick them up on the platform."

She showed us to the bedrooms we'd be occupying once lunch was cleaned up. Remus' was a dark navy room on the second floor, and mine was a depressing gray color located directly above his.

I whiled away the afternoon in the slightly-less-dank-than-the-rest-of-the-house second floor sitting room. With a fire lit, it was bright and cozy in a dark, medieval kind of way. And so I curled up on the sofa and read until after dusk, when I heard a loud clanging noise resonate throughout the house. I caught an "I'm sorry!" before all other noise was drowned out by the ugly, evil dead woman in the hallway.

I threw down my book and raced to attempt to close the open curtains around the portrait. Remus was already there, tugging.

"Shut your mouth you rotten old hag!" I yelled, surprising my almost-mother-in-law just enough for her to pause in her shouting and give Remus enough time to close the heavy hangings. After taking a deep breath, we both headed downstairs to greet whoever had arrived.

Standing in the kitchen were Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Moody, Arthur, Molly, and a young, sullen, mousy brown haired witch who I didn't recognize.

"Kara! How good to see you!" Arthur greeted congenially. "Remus." The two men shook hands.

"How's it going, Arthur?"

"Pretty well. Work's been busy lately."

"You'll have to tell me about it." I'd always enjoyed hearing about the strange enchantments put on Muggle things.

"I will."

"Hey Alastor!" He inclined his head.

"Kara." I glanced at the brown haired woman once more and started.

"Tonks?" She nodded. "I didn't even recognize you." She shrugged. I couldn't inquire further as Molly announced that dinner was ready. I resolved to talk to her privately later, however. Although I'd only met her a handful of times, I could tell something was wrong.

Dinner was pleasant; Athur and I discussed biting clocks while the kids chatted quietly amongst themselves. Alastor and Molly laughed at something from the other side of the table. Tonks was picking at her food and casting occasional glances at Remus, who was silent as well. I wondered if they'd had a disagreement. Probably not, they'd always gotten along so well. And then I got it. Note to self: hit Remus over the head some sense gets knocked into him!

And so once the meal was eaten and cleaned, I dragged Remus into my room and sat him on my bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Better question: what are you not doing?"

"Can you clarify yourself please?"

"Tonks!" I shout-whispered. ""You're the one making her depressed, aren't you? What's going on?" He sighed.

"Nothing."

"Nice try. Now tell me what the hell you've done to her!"

"Well, she likes me, I guess-"

"So why aren't you dating her?"

"She deserves better than me," he answered quietly.

"No she doesn't. No one does, because it doesn't get better than you. What's really the problem?"

"She's young and whole, and I'm a thirty-something year old werewolf."

"Stop it. That's not who you are. You're cool! You're THE Remus Lupin!" He gave a small smile. "Do you like her?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel like you're betraying Natalie by liking her?" I asked quietly. He hesitated before nodding. "You're not. She'd want you to be happy. We both know that. Tonks is great; you like her, and she likes you! Don't worry about anything, just do something! You're depressing her."

"I just need to think about some things." I nodded and hugged him.

"Take your time. But not too much time." I kissed his forehead and walked up to my room. As I lay awake I wondered what I'd do if I was Remus.

The next few days were spent cleaning the numerous rooms in the house. And the evenings were spent thinking of excuses for why I couldn't go through Sirius' things that night: I was too tired, too sore, had too much work. I hadn't even stepped inside his bedroom yet.

Harry and I occasionally sat up late once everyone had gone to bed. We'd make hot chocolate and talk. I was the only mother-type figure he'd had apart from Mrs. Weasley. I really felt like more of his aunt. The fun kind. Not the kind who locked him in a closet. He told me about his face-offs with Voldemort and I told him about mine, and anything else he wanted to know. It was a nice arrangement for both of us.

Other than that, I graded essays and read and ate candy canes. Christmas vacation was good.


	74. Sirius's Room

The sun shone brightly through my window early on the morning of Christmas eve. The snow glistened on the ground and the tree branches sparkled. I smiled, stretched, and kicked off my sheets, padding down to the kitchen in my pajamas. After making a cup of hot chocolate, I settled onto the couch in the sitting room with my book. The room now held a bare pine tree which we'd all be decorating that night.

It was a peaceful half hour before Molly and Remus stirred and joined me downstairs. I helped Molly make breakfast while Remus set the table. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny stumbled, yawning, into the kitchen thirty minutes later.

"Why are we up so early?" Ron grumbled as he loaded up his plate.

"There are things to do today!" Mrs. Weasley replied.

"Like what?" Ginny inquired.

"Like decorating." No one looked ecstatic about this prospect. Some of Molly's eggs and bacon helped to cheer them up, however.

The entire morning was spent decorating the downstairs of the house. Tinsel was draped over the windows and Christmas lights adorned the hallways. I even pinned a Santa hat on the portrait of Mrs. Black. She screamed about 'stupid, filthy mudbloods who think they're clever' for twenty minutes. I turned up Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer loud enough to drown her out.

There was another Santa hat left over at lunch time, so I put it on Remus and Charmed a short gray beard onto him. It wasn't until Molly asked him what the hell was on his face that he noticed, and by that time the kids and I had already had a good laugh. Of course, he did make my nose red and shiny, and added a small tail to my backside, but that was beside the point.

Dinner was delicious. There was an entire turkey, along with potatoes and broccoli and corn. Fred and George joined us, as did Alastor and Minerva, although Tonks stayed away. I glared at Remus when Kingsley mentioned that she'd said she was 'busy'. He stared at his corn for ten minutes.

After the meal was cleaned up, we went into the sitting room and decorated the tree. Christmas carols played softly in the background as everyone hung their ornaments, and a sudden sense of loneliness stabbed at me. I excused yourself and walked out of the room.

I arrived there before I knew where my feet were taking me. Sirius' bedroom. The place I'd been avoiding all week. But now I turned the knob and entered the dark, unoccupied room.

A tear sprang into my eye before I could prevent it. As it rolled down my cheek, I surveyed the room from the door. I felt like an intruder. What if the man who had lived here wasn't the same man I'd loved so long ago? What if he wasn't the Sirius I remembered?

I brushed both the tear and the doubt away and stepped slowly into the darkened room. With a silent incantation I lit the candles and smiled even as another tear followed in the path of the first one. The first thing my eyes focused on was the scrapbook I'd given to him on what had been the last Christmas we'd spent together. On the dark wooden nightstand next to the navy-quilted bed stood a picture of James, Remus, and Sirius that Natalie had taken at our graduation. The three adolescents smiled and waved happily from the picture, knocking the hats off each other's heads from time to time. I picked up the picture to get a closer look and waved back quickly.

The desk on the opposite side of the room was a mess; it always had been. Papers and quills were strewn everywhere. I'd always wondered how he found anything, the way he kept things. But he'd always managed to. And on the desk was the photo Harry had mentioned. It was uncovered, the only object on the desk that was in full sight. Me and Sirius, dancing at Lily and James' wedding. My smile faded as the memories of that day came flooding back: the church, the ceremony, the speech. The promise of a full and happy life. My finger traced the outline of the handsome young man whose arms I danced in, so different from the sunken, sallow face from the wanted posters.

And then there was the closet. Immaculate. As it always had been. The guy may not have been able to find his bills, but he could always find the right color shirt. I ran my hands over the pressed shirts, waiting for their owner to come over and put them on. And the pants, arranged from khakis to dark jeans, all standing at attention. On the top shelf of the closet were books. I heard my own laughter fill the room. How to Prank a Prankster Volumes I through XVI. With a shake of my head, I turned your back on the closet.

Where to next? Which part of his life to revisit? Which drawers to go through, to empty out first? Which memories to erase? There I stood in the middle of the gray carpeted room, unable to throw out or move a single thing. So I sat. And then laid down. In the middle of the floor, in the middle of the memories and books and messy papers. The ceiling was discolored in one corner. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the smell of the room. Some spicy fragrance I could never place. I only associated it with Sirius. The salty drops tumbled from my eyes and onto the carpet as I continued to stare at the yellowing circle and postpone your impossible task for as long as possible. It was only when the yellow spot started to show up when you blinked that I stood up.

I ran a hand through my hair in a very James fashion and sat down on the bed. It was a different bed, one I'd never slept in. Should that have bothered me as much as it did? Were there other women who'd occupied it, who'd cuddled into the warm soft pillows and watched his chest move up and down? I wondered. Was I allowed to be jealous? It wasn't as though I hadn't had sex with other men from time to time. Was it unfair to hope that he'd wait for me, when most of me had never expected to see him again?

My eyelids were suddenly too heavy. They closed and I laid my weary, overwhelmed head down on the freezing pillowcase. It was soaked in no time as I let yourself cry for Sirius as I never had. My eyes were swelling up and I knew they were red and bloodshot. But I straightened up again and took the scrapbook from its place.

I blew the dust off and carefully opened the cover to the still crispy first page. The pictures began in the summer between your 6th and 7th years of school. There was the Yankees game and the 4th of July, and Sirius and I at the lake. And then the 7th year Halloween Ball, taken only hours before our first kiss, when we were still 'just friends'. I was up to the day Harry was born when I heard the door creak open...


	75. Hallucination

"Oh my God, now I'm hallucinating." Because standing in the doorway was none other than Sirius Black. He was staring at me intensely, as if drinking up my image.

"Kara," the hallucination breathed.

"Hearing things. Check." I pinched yourself. Nope. Not dreaming. The figure was coming towards me. "Is this your idea of a joke?" What, did somebody make a Polyjuice Potion or something?

"No, not really. Jokes are supposed to be funny." I wouldn't let yourself fall for this, even though I so desperately wished it was true. It wasn't. it couldn't be. Sirius was-

"I know you thought I was dead."

"You are dead. Whoever or whatever you are, Sirius is dead." I didn't even notice that I'd started crying again.

"Kara, it's me."

~*Remus' POV*~

Kara had excused herself over an hour ago. No one said anything, we all knew where she'd gone.

The tree was decorated and lit, and the room was illuminated solely by the fire in the corner. It was beautiful and serene, and I found yourself wishing for Tonks' company. Maybe I'd owl her in the morning.

The fire was nearly extinguished when Dumbledore and someone who looked extremely like Sirius entered the room.

"I've done it!" the Headmaster exclaimed excitedly.

"Done what?" I asked, with your eyes, and everyone else's, glued to the other man.

"I figured out how to reverse the powers of the Veil, and bring someone out of it." My mouth dropped. Did that mean...?

"Sirius?" It was Harry's quiet, awed voice that ventured to confirm what all of us wanted to know.

"Yes, Harry?"

"That's really you?"

"Who else would it be?" He'd barely gotten the statement out before Harry was hugging him. "I missed you, too," he said quietly, returning the embrace. "Death is boring." His godson laughed through his tears.

Sirius greeted and hugged everybody. Molly was sobbing about how sorry she was that they'd argued so often, and Sirius patted her back comfortingly.

"Was I dreaming, or was there a Santa hat pinned to my mother's portrait?" Everyone laughed.

"No, it's really there."

"Brilliant." He paused. "Look, as much as I don't want to leave you all, I have to find someone."

"She's here, Sirius," I told him, knowing exactly who the someone he was talking about was.

"I know! She's teaching at Hogwarts! And I have to find her." He moved to exit.

"No, she's here. Upstairs." He stopped.

"Here? In this house?" I nodded. Without another word he sprinted up the stairs.

~*Kara's POV*~

My jaw dropped. "Sirius?"

"Yes, I am." My eyes narrowed.

"Where did we first have sex?" He smiled.

"My couch."

"Oh my God," I breathed. "How-?" But I was cut off, because in one swift movement he closed the space between us and kissed me. And now there was no doubt in my mind that this was Sirius. And I didn't care who or how many women had been in that bed, as long as his arms were around me.

"Tell me what happened," I demanded softly. He kissed me again. "Sirius."

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

"Of course you do." With that, he launched into an explanation of everything that had happened since he'd fallen through the Veil. How he'd waited in darkness because it wasn't 'his time' until Dumbledore cast a spell and he was thrown back into the Department of Mysteries. "Dumbledore was waiting there for me like he'd seen me yesterday. Asked if I wanted a lemon drop." I laughed.

The two of us were seated on his bed; his head rested against the wall and mine on his chest. "Anyway, he explained that he'd been working on a way to get me back and he'd finally figured it out."

"When was all this?"

"This afternoon."

"Wow. Does anyone else know?"

"That I'm alive?" I nodded. "It'll be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning. That Scrimgeour guy isn't much better than Fudge, by the way."

"He did repeal that werewolf law."

"But he's still a stupid bastard."

"I'll give you that."

"So now that we've heard all about my little adventure, what's been going on with you for the last fifteen years?"

"How do I know this is for real? I want to believe it, but part of me can't."

"I already passed the sex question test." I smiled.

"I know, but- this seems too good to be true."

"You could accept the fact that something good has happened for once," he suggested.

"I could."

'And you know it's not a Polyjuice Potion."

"How?"

"Because we've been up here for over an hour now."

"Really?" I checked the clock. "Time went fast."

'Speak for yourself. I feel like it's been an eon since we last saw each other."

"So do I." Silence blanketed the room, and I closed my eyes.

"Kara?"

"Hmm?"

"How the hell did you end up teaching?" I shrugged. "That's not a good enough answer. You did finish training, didn't you?"

"Of course I did."

"Then what happened?"

"I quit," you said quietly.

"What happened?"

'It doesn't matter, does it?"

"Yes it does."

"It's kind of a long story."

"I've got time."

"Fine. I quit... I quit because Fudge tried to make me head up the search for you a few years ago. I told him I wouldn't do it and he didn't listen, so I walked. Don't worry, I went back and got a job in New York, but it was never the same. So when Dumbledore asked me to teach I agreed."

"That wasn't such a long story?"

"I guess not."

"Do you miss it?"

"Very much. I like teaching well enough, but it's not the same." There was a knock on the door before Sirius could respond, and Molly poked her head in.

"Oh, good! I'm not interrupting anything! I made tea, if you two want any."

"Tea sounds great," we said together. With a smile, the three of us headed down to the sitting room, where everyone still sat by the light of the tree.

"I've never seen this place look halfway cheerful before," Sirius commented as we sat down next to each other. No one responded. "What?"

"An explanation would be nice," Remus hinted with a smile on his face.

"Didn't Dumbledore explain?"

"No." So Sirius retold what had happened. I half-listened, paying more attention to the sound of his voice than his actual words. "I need a new wand. Would you like to come with me tomorrow?" I looked up at him when no one else responded.

"Who, me?"

"Yes you, love."

"Sure. When do you want to go?"

"I don't know. After the whole presents deal."

"Okay. It's a date." He smiled.

"It's a date," he repeated.

"I'm going to bed," I announced, getting up and stretching.

"Me too," Sirius agreed. I raised my eyebrows.

"Okay." We both exited the room after saying goodnight to everyone. I moved to go into my room, but he put his arm around me and guided me up the stairs. "I'm going to tell you right now that I am way too tired tonight, so don't try a thing."

"Not fair! We haven't had sex in fifteen years."

"Speak for yourself."

"Who the hell have you had sex with?" He didn't look happy.

"Oh, didn't you know? Remus and I have been getting' it on! Everyone knows that!!" He turned back towards the sitting room, fists clenched. "I was joking, Sirius."

"That was the most unfunny thing I've ever heard, Kara."

"Sorry."

"Who have you shagged?" he repeated.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know? You don't know their names, or you don't want to tell me?"

"Which do you think?"

"Have you been getting paid for sex?" he joked. I playfully smacked him.

"Funny. In the business they don't call it getting paid. It's sex plus benefits."

"What were their names?"

'I've got them written down somewhere."

"This isn't funny, Kara!" he shouted.

"What's not funny?" Remus's voice called from downstairs.

"Sirius is mad because I've shagged more people than he has!" I shouted back, laughing. "He's only shagged me, unless you count all those sexy prisoners."

"I heard he had a thing going with Rodolphus Lestrange," Remus shouted back.

"Stop this talk!" I heard Molly chastise.

"Sorry!"

"I vote that we stop spreading slander about Sirius!" Sirius shouted. "I'd impale myself on my own penis before I'd shag anyone in Azkaban!"

"HEY!" Molly shouted.

"Is your penis really that sharp, Sirius?" Remus shouted up.

"STOP THIS NOW!!" I could hear Harry, Ron, and Ginny trying not to laugh, while the twins didn't bother to hide their hysterics.

"Good night everyone!" I called cheerily, leading Sirius up the rest of the stairs and into his room. "It was only a few times." He said nothing, waiting for me to continue. "There was Tommy Johnson, a couple years after you went to Azkaban. And then there was Andrew Jones, a few years ago."

"Oh. Okay. Were they better than me?" I laughed.

"Well, I don't know..." I giggled at the look on his face. "You know I'm joking. Of course they weren't better than you. I wasn't in love with them."

"Are you still in love with me?"

"I told you Sirius, Remus and I are involved."

"Seriously, Kara."

"Of course I am."

"Good. I love you."

"I love you, too." I kissed him deeply and stole a pair of flannels from his pristine closet. After putting them on, I snuggled under the covers, waiting for Sirius to join me. He did a moment later, pulling me close to him.

"Good night, love."

"'Night."


	76. Is There Food?

A light snow was falling on Christmas morning. I shivered in the cold room and cuddled closer to Sirius' warm, sleeping form. He wrapped his arms around me and opened his eyes.

"Morning."

"Merry Christmas!" I responded, giving him a quick kiss. He pulled me closer and kissed me for a minute.

"I didn't get you anything," he apologized.

"I think being dead is a good enough excuse. I didn't get you anything."

"I think thinking I was dead is a good enough excuse."

"So when do you want to get up?"

"Never." He closed his eyes.

'We have to get up. It's Christmas!"

"So?"

"So I, for one, would like to get out of bed and see everyone."

"Fine." I made to get up but he wouldn't let go of me. "You can't leave me!" he teased, trying to kiss me. I turned my head and he got my cheek. Again and again. I was giggling like an idiot.

"Sirius! We have to get up!"

"No!" he disagreed between cheek-kisses. I twisted and turned but he held fast.

"Yes! I'm hungry!" He stopped.

"Food?" I nodded. He let go of me and I fell off the bed.

"Ow!" I shouted just as Molly knocked and entered.

"Is there food?" Sirius asked immediately.

"Oh, sure, don't mind me, I'm just fine down here," I muttered.

"Happy Christmas, both of you!" Molly said, looking from one of us to the other. "And yes, there's food."

"Yes!" He jumped out of bed and extended a hand to me. I took it and he pulled me up and into a deep kiss. "Sorry, love. Haven't eaten in over five months."

"It's okay. Let's go eat." He nodded eagerly and we both traipsed down the stairs to the kitchen.  
Everyone was already assembled, from Fred, George, Bill, and his fiancée to Remus and Tonks. I gave Remus a satisfied smile when I saw Tonks' usual bubblegum pink hair. He gave me a wide grin in return.

I sat next to Harry, with Sirius on my other side.

"Merry Christmas, Harry," I greeted.

"You too. Thanks," he added. I smiled.

"You're welcome. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did."

"Love what?" Sirius asked from your right.

"None of your business, dear," I teased.

"Harry will tell me, won't you, Harry?" My godson looked torn.

"Um..."

"It's fine, I was only joking," I told him. He held up the slightly worn and yellowing copy of Tips For Becoming an Auror that my mother had given my for my seventeenth birthday.

"You're way too damn thoughtful," Sirius commented after a moment.

"I know."

"It's really a very attractive quality."

"I know." I gave him a flashy smile and began to load up my plate with pancakes and bacon. Sirius followed suit, consuming much more food than I did. But I supposed I'd eat that much to if I'd been dead for five months. Heck, I'd eaten that much when I'd eaten breakfast and lunch beforehand a few times.

After finishing breakfast and exchanging thank you's for gifts, Sirius and I headed upstairs to get ready for our little day trip. I put on a pair of dark jeans and a light green v-neck sweater. Sirius showered after me and threw on jeans and a dark polo.

"Ready?" he asked. I looked up from the paper.

"Hold on. I'm reading about some guy who fell out of a Veil." He came over and looked over my shoulder.

"Who cares about that guy? I know a guy who wants to take his girlfriend out on Christmas morning."

"That guy's much more interesting."

"I agree. Let's go." I nodded and the two of us Apparated to Diagon Alley.

"It feels weird to not have to hide my face," Sirius commented as we walked along. It was Christmas, and not many people were about. But the ones who were gave him curious looks as we made your way to Olivander's wand shop.

"Damn," I muttered once we arrived. "I forgot." The store was still unoccupied, Mr. Olivander having disappeared a few months ago.

"Things are pretty bad, aren't they?" I nodded. "I can get my wand another time. Let's go get a butterbeer."

"In Hogsmeade?"

"Where else?" I rolled my eyes but Apparated after him to just outside the Three Broomsticks.

The pub was empty but for a large family eating Christmas brunch and Rosmerta. Her eyes widened when she saw us enter.

"Sirius Black," she said. "I never thought I'd see you in here again."

"I never thought I'd be in here again," he countered as she gave him a small hug.

"How are you? What a terrible ordeal you've been through."

"I think I'll be okay." The entire family, who was seated in the back corner of the restaurant, was staring.

"Good. I'm glad. Where would you like to sit today?" Sirius looked to me and I shrugged.

"Wherever is best for you, Rosmerta," Sirius answered her.

"It seems like just yesterday the two of you would come in here when the school came down," she reminisced as she sat us down on the opposite side of the restaurant from the family. "What can I get you?"

We both ordered butterbeers and she strode away to get them.

After finishing your drinks, we buttoned up our coats and reentered the freezing outdoors.

"Where to now?" Sirius asked as he took my hand.

"I don't care." In unspoken agreement, we headed for Honeyduke's. We browsed the countless shelves and counters. And then an idea flew into my head. I began to pull Sirius slowly towards the door to the cellar of the store.

"Where are we going?" he asked. I shushed him, checked to make sure no one was looking, and slipped into the back room. Without a word, I lifted up the trapdoor and slipped into the passageway that would take us to Hogwarts. "Are you serious?" Sirius hissed.

"No, you are!" I teased, using his old pun.

"Ha ha. You honestly want to sneak into Hogwarts?"

"Why not?"

"Can't we just use the front door? You are a teacher."

'Where's your sense of adventure, Padfoot?" I teased.

"Let's do it." He closed the opening and we were left in darkness. Before I could light my wand, he crashed his lips onto mine. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back passionately. His hands began to roam up towards my breasts. I pulled away.

"Not here," I insisted, breathing somewhat heavily. "Lumos," I murmured, and both of us were cast in the soft glow of wand light.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?" Sirius asked.

"I don't think so."

'Even more gorgeous than I remember."

"You must not be remembering correctly."

"Of course I am!" He kissed me once more before starting towards the one-eyed witch. I followed in silence.

It took a seeming forever to finally reach the school; when we did arrive we checked to make sure no students were roaming the hall before stepping out quickly. Sirius came after. We moved stealthily through the halls, occasionally ducking around a corner or behind a tapestry when a student came into view.

"I feel like James Bond," I whispered at one point.

"Who?"

"Never mind. My office is right down the hall."

"It's very nice. You share with Remus?" Sirius surveyed the cozy room and sat on Remus' desk.

"Yeah. It's lots of fun. You know, since we're screwing each other."

"That's not funny. You're not even screwing me."

"We can change that." He raised his eyebrows as I approached him.

"Let's." He snaked his arms around my waist and pulled me close, so I was standing in between his legs. His kisses were full of love, but also an underlying urgency. I kissed him back with the same passion, and before I knew it he was laying me down on top of the desk, pushing papers and quills onto the floor.

"We can't tell Remus about that," I stated later as I pulled my shirt back on.

"No," Sirius agreed as he zipped up his pants. "I don't think he'd be too happy." He kissed me. "So, where's your bedroom?" I laughed.

"Behind this portrait." I gave the password and Sirius followed you in.

"This is really nice," he commented.

"I know."

'The bed looks comfortable." He went over and sat, patting the spot next to him.

"I feel fifteen," I told him as you sat next to him stiffly.

"I love you," he said in reply.

"I love you too." I giggled as he kissed and nibbled my neck, crawling on top of me. He slowly took off the shirt and bra I'd just replaced. I smiled up at him. "I missed you so much." He nodded and proceeded to show me that he felt the same.

"It's getting late." We'd been lying together on my bed for over an hour. "We should head back."

"Do we have to?"

"Yes." I got up and motioned for him to follow. He did, reluctantly, and we snuck out of the castle.

"Did you two have a nice day?" Molly asked when we arrived back at Grimmauld Place. We both nodded. "Good! And you're just in time for dinner." We followed her into the kitchen, where everyone was already seated. Dinner was served.

"Kara, can I have the butter?" Remus asked from two seats down. I nodded, not able to make eye contact with him for fear of cracking up. Sirius caught my eye as I handed the butter to our friend, and I laughed anyway. "What's so funny?" Remus asked as he buttered a piece of bread.

"Nothing," I managed to say between laughs. Sirius was shaking his head, but he was laughing as well.

"Okay, you're weird."

"We all knew that, Remie."


	77. Happy New Year!

It was New Year's Eve before I knew it. The day was spent lying in bed with Sirius, grading all the papers I'd left until the last minute. He dozed or watched me as I read over essays on werewolves or silent incantations.

"Are you going to be done any time soon, love?" he questioned around lunch time. I shrugged.

"Maybe. Why don't you just go get something to eat or talk to Remus?"

"Because I want to stay with you." His arms encircled my waist and he pulled me down to him.

"You know, the more you keep stopping me, the longer it'll take for me to finish."

"I don't care when you finish. I just want you to take a little break." I smiled into his kiss.

"Okay." There was a knock at the door just as we went to kiss him again.

"Sorry." It was Harry. He started to close the door.

"Don't go. I'm just grading papers." The door opened again.

"Mrs. Weasley was wondering if you were awake. Lunch will be ready soon." Sirius was glaring at our godson.

"Oh, stop it. I don't have time for that anyway. Get dressed and go eat lunch, for crying out loud." I could hear Harry chuckle quietly as he left.

It was three o'clock before the last assignment was graded; I'd only stopped once for a quick lunch- and a quicky- around 1:30.

"That was exhausting," I sighed as I put the papers in my bag.

"I'm sorry I tired you out," Sirius replied. "I know I'm hard to keep up with."

"Haha. Not you." He frowned.

"I'll work on it." I laughed.

"I'm sure you'll be great." I gave him a peck on the lips and went to pee.

Dinner took place at seven, and once again Molly had invited everyone in the Order to stay. I spoke with Minerva and Sirius while Tonks changed her face to entertain the girls. Remus watched her fondly; I winked when our eyes met.

Apparently he'd owled Tonks on Christmas morning, just after I'd told him off. They'd met in Diagon Alley and had been seeing each other ever since. They were the cutest couple.

Sirius's hand grasped my own under the table. I looked over and gave him a small smile, and reconsidered. Tonks and Remus could be the second cutest.

After the table was cleared and the dishes were washed, everyone sat around and drank butterbeers, relaxing before the hectic return to work and school that the following days would bring.

Sirius and I excused ourselves early, choosing to sit in bed together.

"Damn, I missed you," Sirius whispered randomly after we'd been silent for awhile. He laid his head on my chest and I played with his hair.

"I missed you, too. So much."

"Do you ever think of what we could have had?"

"Yeah."

"Me too. What do you picture?" I gave a little shrug.

"Us. Together."

"I used to see us in that little house next to Lily and James', with a few kids, who were best friends with Harry and his younger sister. And we'd talk on the porch as the sun set, and the kids would fall asleep together in the living room, and we were all so happy." There was a tear running down my cheek when he finished.

"When did you think this?"

"In Azkaban," he told me quietly. "And to think we could have had all that, if only I hadn't made-"

"Don't, Sirius. Don't blame what happened on yourself. It's not your fault. It's Peter's. You did what you thought you had to do."

"It's terrible in there, Kara," he whispered hoarsely. "Enough to make anyone go insane. It's so dark, and cold." He shivered against me and I pulled him closer. "And all I could think about was what could have been." I had no response, I only held him as he stared ahead blankly, remembering.

"I love you, Sirius," I told him after a few minutes.

"I love you too. More than I ever thought I could." I smiled at him.

"Likewise." He kissed me passionately then, and we were still at it when we heard the faint cries of 'Happy New Year!' from downstairs.


	78. Desk Drama

The Hogwarts Express left from King's Cross Station at eleven a.m. on January 3rd. I slept in while Molly, Arthur, and Sirius took the kids to London.

I decided to make myself some breakfast and took myself down to the kitchen. Remus was sneaking in the front door as I came down the stairs.

"Hi Remus!" I shouted. He jumped, startled, and sighed when he realized it was me. "Where were you last night?" I asked. He reddened.

"With Tonks," he mumbled.

"All night, really?"

"Come off it, it's not like you and Sirius aren't doing the same thing."

"And what thing is this?"

"Kara, you know I'm having sex with Tonks."

"You are!? I wasn't sure." He rolled his eyes as I clapped my hands together happily. "Want some breakfast?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah."

"I need to do some lesson plans."

"Me too."

"Let's do them together. You're better at it."

"Thank you." I turned around, grabbed my school bag from Sirius' desk chair, and met Remus in the kitchen.

We were just finishing the last of both our orange juice and lesson plans when Molly and Sirius came in.

"Hello!" Molly greeted happily, humming a Christmas tune.

"Hi. How'd it go at the station?"

"There were lots of people staring," Sirius told me.

"It's because you're so damn handsome," I teased. He gave a flip of his shaggy hair.

"I know," he said huskily. This caused me to laugh and Remus to throw toast at him. Molly, meanwhile, had begun to wash dishes.

"Let me do that," I demanded, taking her place at the sink.

"I didn't hear you come in last night, Remus," Molly commented as she sat down.

"No?" he asked feebly.

"Did you and Tonks have a late night?"

"More like all night," I chirped as you dried a bowl. Remus opened his mouth, but Sirius cut him off.

"Really, Moony? You and my dear cousin? You'd better treat her right. No slapping or whipping or anything in the bedroom, okay?"

"Now, now, Sirius. Remus is a nice man," Molly said kindly.

"Yes, but I've heard the monster comes out in bed," I rebutted.

"I think I read that somewhere, that werewolves have the kinkiest sex," Sirius added. Remus, by this time, was redder than anything I'd ever seen, including the red bra James and Sirius had charmed onto Snape's robes in fifth year.

"It's okay, Remus," I consoled him. "I'm sure Tonks is happy with whatever you have to offer."

"How much is that, by the way?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I can't claim a penis sharp enough to impale myself on," Remus remarked.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a bad lay?" I asked.

"No."

"Well then you can't be that bad."

"Thanks for the reassurance."

"Any time, soldier," I told him, patting his back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed."

I arrived at the castle around three p.m., with Remus right behind me.

"I don't want school to start again," I complained. "I'm so not teaching material."

"Of course you are, soldier," Remus teased. "The kids love you."

"But I don't love them. I love hexing people."

"I know. But think of detention as the new hexing."

"I can't. It's not as fun."

"Why not?"

"If you could choose between knocking someone out or making someone polish trophies, which would you choose?" He smiled.

"I see your point."

"Thank you." By now we'd reached the doors of the school. Remus opened one and followed me in. There was a staff meeting in Dumbledore's office, so we reported there directly.

"Ah, nice of you both to join us," Dumbledore greeted cheerily as we sat. He went on to outline the events and curriculum for the second semester of school. It was almost time for the feast by the time he was done. I walked down with Professor Flitwick as Remus conversed with Professor Slughorn. The students filed in a few moments after we did, and after a few words from Dumbledore the meal began.

I was tired, and so I was very glad when dinner was over and I was finally free to retire to my room. I trudged torpidly up the several flights of stairs as students chatted animatedly on the way to their common rooms. Remus stayed just ahead of me, not willing to slow down to the sloth pace I was at. And so he entered our office right before I did, and moved to sit at his desk.

Immediately my exhaustion evaporated as I remembered Christmas day. I began to laugh quietly to myself as he sat down and pulled out a quill and some paper. I calmed myself and moved to my own desk. But a new wave of giggles came a moment later. Remus looked up at me.

"What?"

"Nothing," I assured him, as my ceased giggling. But only for a minute. Then I laughed again, even louder.

"What, Kara?"

"What?" I asked innocently, although it was in between giggles.

"Tell me!" I covered my mouth to smother the sound as I cackled. "Come on." I shook me head. He shook his own and bent back over his work. But I snorted and took my hand away, cracking up. "Kara!"

"Sirius and I had sex on your desk!" I blurted out, recovering my mouth after and resuming my giggles.

"WHAT?!" He stood up, fists clenched. Then he took a couple of deep breaths. "You know what, I don't care. I don't care." He sat back down and picked up his quill. I giggled quietly. And then he threw down the quill and jumped back up. "I can't use this desk."

"What? Why not?"

"Because! It's, it's...dirty!" I couldn't help it, the giggles spilled out of my mouth. "It's not funny! I liked this desk! And you had to defile it with your lustful ways, and now I can't use it!"

"Yes you can."

"No, I can't."

"Remus, I'm not switching desks with you! If it makes you feel better, you and Tonks can shag on my desk."

"Get up!" he shouted.

"Okay." I rose quickly, and with a flick of Remus' wand, my things were switched with his.

"Stupid Kara, shagging on my desk. I liked that desk! And it's not like she doesn't have her own perfectly sex-able desk right next to mine. Well, now it's not mine, I won't use it. Oh, no, I won't!" Remus was muttering this under his breath as he rearranged papers and quills. Once finished, he moved to sit on the couch, still muttering with his eyes narrowed. I started to laugh again. "What now?" he asked, exasperated as he settled in.

"We had sex there too," I told him quietly.

"Oh my God! What are you, rabbits?" He whipped out his wand and began to furiously Scourgify every inch of the couch. He was doing this, and muttering about 'horny ex-Aurors' when Harry walked in. He took in the scene: a crazed, disheveled Remus, attacking cushions, and me leaning on his/my desk, trying and failing not to laugh.

"I'll come back later," he said as Remus shouted:

"There will be no traces of sex on my couch! Oh, no! No, no, no. I'll make it all go away. The goddamn couch. My desk is one thing, my lovely, precious desk, but not my couch! You have crossed the line!!" I was, by now, laughing so hard the tears were running down my face freely, as Harry stared wide-eyed at my red-faced werewolf friend.

"Is he okay?" Harry asked, concern in his eyes.

"Define okay."

"Of course I'm okay! I'm fantastic! Fan-fucking-tastic! What's funny, Kara? What!? Did you continue your sex-capade where I'm standing? Right here, on my carpet?" he began to Scourgify the rug as well.

"Remus, the carpet is safe. No sperm germs." He glared suspiciously.

"Promise?"

"On my honor." I held up three fingers like a Girl Scout. He nodded and pocketed his wand.

"Hello, Harry," he addressed Harry cordially.

"Um, hi?"

"What brings you here?"

"Nothing. I'm just going to go." He ran to the door and left before either of us could say a thing.

"I wonder why he left so quickly," Remus mused, sitting down at his new desk.

"I wonder," I deadpanned, shaking my head.

'Well, I'm tired. I'm going to go to bed."

"Good night, Remus." He turned to give Sir Cadogan his password.

"Hollyhock."

"That is no longer the password, you scurvy cur!" Remus sighed.

"Santa Claus? Ribbon? Alpaca? Quaffle?" The guesses went on and on.

"Desk sex?" I finally called from across the room. The portrait opened, and Remus glanced longingly at his desk before storming into his room, muttering once again.


	79. Auror Training

January was a flurry of giving quizzes and grading papers. Even though I'd hated it as a student, I was giving review assignment upon review assignment, upon regular homework, to your fifth and seventh years. Such was the workload that even on Friday nights, when Sirius slipped into the castle to visit, I could rarely move away from my desk. Many mornings I woke up still in my chair, with a piece of parchment stuck to my cheek.

And so when February came I vowed to lessen the workload, not only for the kids' benefit but for my own as well. They were a bright bunch, they'd do well on their tests. Besides, I wanted to spend more time with Sirius, who I'd barely seen since the New Year had begun. It seemed every time he flooed over I was shooing him out the fireplace so I could average grades or write a lesson plan.

Valentine's Day. I'd never liked it, never celebrated it. To me there was never a point in doing something special the same day everyone else in the world was doing something special. It was a complete Hallmark holiday. But when Sirius asked me to come out and celebrate it with him, I couldn't refuse. I'd been neglecting him, and he promised to make the evening a unique one.

And so bright and early on Saturday, February 14th, I made my way down to Hogsmeade, along with the entire student body. I'd chaperone for the day, and was instructed to meet Sirius at seven o'clock.

As the students returned to the castle after a full day of snogging in Madam Puddifoot's, I walked to the Three Broomsticks and waited outside like Sirius had told me to. It was ten after seven before I recognized his silhouette moving toward me.

"Sorry I'm late, love," he apologized quickly before giving me a quick peck on the lips.

"That's okay. Can we go in now?" I inclined my head back to the warm, brightly lit pub, which made me more aware of the fact that February was freezing.

"We're not going in," he replied. "I promised you an evening that was unlike everyone else's, didn't I?" I nodded. "And does that look different to you?" I peered through the glass and saw that every table was occupied by starry-eyed couples.

"No, it doesn't."

"We are going this way." He wrapped an arm around my waist and led me down the street leading out of town.

"Sirius, where are you taking me?"

"You'll see!" He had strayed off the path and was leading me up a mountain. We hiked for a good thrity minutes before he announced that I could stop around the bend.

"Finally," I muttered. But then I turned the corner and found myself outside of a cave with a small clearing in front of it, which was illuminated by candles. I noticed a table set for two waiting right in the opening of the cave and smiled.

"Worth the wait?" Sirius asked nervously from beside me.

"Definitely."

"I know it's not much."

"I hate this holiday anyway. I just want to have dinner with you."

"Well in that case, let me show you to your table." He held his arm out formally, and I let out a laugh but looped my own arm through his and allowed him to guide me over to the table.

"Thank you, kind sir," I quipped when he pulled out my chair.

"It's no trouble, fair lady." He sat down across from me and took out his wand. "What do you want to eat?" I shrugged.

"What are you having?"

"Chicken?"

"I'll have steak then."

"It will be as you wish it." With a flick of his wand both our meals appeared. I cut my meat in silence and tried a small bite.

"This is very good," I complimented.

"Thanks," he blushed. "I asked Molly to help me with it." I reached my fork over and speared a piece of his chicken.

"This is good, too." I stole another piece.

"Why didn't you just ask for chicken?" he asked after I'd eaten half of his meal.

"Because I knew that if you were getting it I could have some."

"Some?" He gestured to his plate.

"Sorry," I mumbled through a mouthful of chicken. "Do you want my steak?"

"Are you going to eat that too if I transfer it to my plate?"

"I'm not making any promises." He sighed and switched plates with me. "That steak sure looks good," I remarked as he raised a piece to his mouth.

"Yes, it does."

"Can I have a piece?" He looked at me disbelievingly, but then laughed and held out his fork. I opened my mouth and took it. "Yum."

"I'm glad you like it. Do you mind if I eat now?"

"You haven't eaten yet? What's taking you so long?" I teased.

"Are you kidding me?" he asked exasperatedly.

"Actually, yes I was. Don't worry, I won't take anymore." I sat and quietly sipped my butterbeer as Sirius ate.

"That was nice," I thanked him once he'd cleared away the meal. "Is there dessert?"

"Does Dumbledore feed you?"

"Of course he does."

"It's obviously not enough. But to answer your question, yes, there is dessert. But you can't eat it there."

"Dessert that's not meant for a table? Yay."

"That's right. I have something much more cliché."

"As long as there's chocolate it can be as cliché as you like."

"We," he began while conjuring up a blanket, "are going to sit on the ground and gaze at the stars." I laughed. "Along with our friends, hot chocolate and a box of chocolates." He pulled out a large red heart filled with candy.

"I like this plan." I hopped down to the ground where Sirius had spread the blanket, and he joined me, handing me a warm mug of cocoa. He draped another blanket around my shoulders and moved in close to me. With my head on his shoulder, I stared into the night. "I feel like I never see you."

'That's because every time I come to see you you're too busy."

"I know, and I'm really sorry. From now on, I'm not even touching schoolwork on Fridays. Or any time you're around."

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," Sirius warned with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Okay, I promise I'll try not to touch schoolwork when I'm with you."

"That's a little better." Another period of silence ensued. "I got a letter from the Ministry today," Sirius said quietly, disturbing the stillness.

"Really? What'd it say?"

"They want me to finish training and become an Auror." I was speechless. What did I say to something like that? Here was the job I wanted back more than anything, and he was getting it handed to him. Granted, he deserved it. And I'd quit. But that didn't stop me from envying Sirius very much at that moment.

"Really?" I replied casually. "Are you going to?"

"Am I going to? Of course I'm going to! I've wanted this my whole life." With his excitement, part of my jealousy flew away. How could I be upset when he was so ecstatic?

"I know. It's great that you'll finally get to do it. It's really an amazing job."

"You wish you were still doing it." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah."

"You know, I bet they'd be happy to have you back if you only asked."

"I can't do that."

"What?"

"Beg for a job. I won't do it."

"If you're content to do something you don't love for the rest of your life, then fine."

"It's not that. It's just... I don't know."

"Very well said."

"Haha," I retorted dryly. "I'm doing fine teaching. It's really not that bad."

"I guess not."

"It's not." I said it to convince myself as much as him.

"I've heard you're great at it."

"Thanks."

"It's no surprise. You're great at almost everything you do."

"I know. It's scary to be this close to perfect." He laughed and leaned down to kiss me. "I love you," I whispered.

"I love you too." His hands began to wander towards my breasts, and I moaned inadvertently into his mouth. As he worked off both his shirt and mine, I forgot about the February cold and concentrated on nothing but Sirius.

I snuck back into the castle at 2 a.m., hoping not to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris. I gave a relieved sigh when I made it to my office without an encounter.

"Kara," I heard from the corner of the dark room. I screamed and whipped out my wand before realizing it was only Remus.

"Shit, Rem. You scared me."

"I scared you? I'm not the one coming in at 2 in the morning and screaming when someone says the slightest thing."

"Sorry. So what keeps you up at this lovely hour?" He moved to sit on his desk.

"Tonks was here." I wiggled my eyebrows.

"Yeah? A nice little Valentine's Day rendezvous?"

"If that's what you feel the need to call it."

"Did you have a nice time?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad."

"Me too. She's really great."

"Yeah. Well, it's late. I'm gonna get to bed."

"Okay. Kara?" I turned around.

"Yes?"

"You have a leaf in your hair."


	80. Pinkies Up!

My no work on Fridays policy was still working a few weeks later, to my surprise. But I supposed it had something, or everything, to do with the fact that Fridays were often the only time I saw Sirius, unless he dropped in on a Saturday afternoon. He'd resumed his training on the first week of March, and was often too tired or too busy to see me. I'd forgotten how much of my time it had taken up, and how exhausted I'd all been going through it. But it seemed to be so much more obvious that Sirius' eyes were drooping and the bags under his eyes got larger every day when the same wasn't true for me.

By the time April break rolled around, we were both ready for a vacation. And luckily, we both got one. Instead of staying in England, we were going to visit my family back in Connecticut.

Mike and Pam had been married for eleven years, and they had two daughters. Jeannette was seven and Nicole was five, and I was the aunt that spoiled them rotten.

The two of us Apparated to Southbury on the first day of break, and I immediately felt the bodies of two young girls fling themselves at me.

"Aunt Kara!" they shouted happily as I picked each of them up and twirled them around. After I'd spun Nicole I stopped abruptly and looked around confusedly.

"I'm sorry, little girls. I was looking for my nieces." They laughed.

"That's us!"

"No. Little Jeannette and Nicole couldn't be as big as you two."

"Yes we could," Jeannette insisted.

"Well, if you say so."

"Oh, I do," she reassured me.

"Okay then! Since you are apparently my nieces, I have presents for you!"

"Yay!" Nicole cried gleefully, clapping her hands together. I reached into my back pocket and produced two toy wands.

"Thank you, Aunt Kara!" they chorused before pretending to duel with each other. Bubbles floated out of Jeannette's wand, while confetti randomly exploded from Nicole's. Pam, upon hearing the noise, entered the room.

"Girls, how many times have I told you not to- oh, Kara! Hi!" She crossed the room and embraced me quickly. "How are you?"

"I'm pretty good. You?"

"Great. And Sirius, it's great to see you, too. How have you been?"

"Alright," he said plainly.

"Well, whatever you're doing's got to be better than Azkaban."

"That may be the truest thing anyone's ever said." She smiled.

"Well, I've got to get to work. We're working on a huge case right now, and I can't be late. Mike should be home this afternoon, the team's finishing up a road trip today. Thanks for watching the girls!" she called on her way out.

"You're welcome!" I shouted back as the front door slammed. "So, girls, what did you have in mind for today?"

"Let's have a tea party!" Nicole suggested. Sirius made a face, but Jeannette agreed readily.

"You can be our waiter," Jeannette said, pointing to Sirius.

"How about no?" Sirius retorted.

"Who are you?" Nicole asked before Jeannette could retaliate.

"I'm your aunt's boyfriend." The girls giggled behind their hands.

"What's your name?"

"Sirius."

"Kara and Sirius sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Sirius with a baby carriage!" I tried not to laugh as the girls finished their song. Sirius was clenching his fists.

"Let's have our tea party now!" They led us upstairs to their dress up box...

"No."

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"You have to!"

"I do not."

"Yes you do."

"Who says I have to listen to you?"

"I do!"

"I'm bigger than you are!" Jeannette had no comeback for that one. Instead she made her bottom lip quiver and her eyes go wide.

"Please, Uncle Sirius?"

"No." But I could tell his resolve was weakening.

"Please?"

"Oh, alright."

"Yay!"

"I'm not keeping this thing on."

"Yes you are!" This time it was me who argued back.

"Kara, I can't wear this thing."

"Why not?"

"It makes me look fat." I laughed.

"You're beautiful the way you are. Now get out here!" Sirius opened the bathroom door and stood in front of me. Jeannette and Nicole were giggling, and I couldn't help adding your own laughter to the mixture.

"Shut up, all of you."

"Sirius, you look pretty. I mean, you don't exactly fill out the top, but we can't all be so well-endowed."

"You're not much better than me," he argued crossly.

"Well if you feel that way, I can keep them to myself."

"You know you're perfect, don't you?" he sucked up.

"Yes."

"But I seriously can't keep this thing on!" I looked him up and down, starting at the red high heels, then the floral print dress, and finally the wide brimmed red hat.

"Of course you can! What else do you wear to a tea party?"

"I want to be the waiter," he complained.

"You passed." Jeannette stuck her tongue out at Sirius, who glared right back at her.

"And now, our tea is served," Nicole announced as formally as her five year old voice could manage.

"Lucky us," Sirius muttered. I elbowed him and sat down between Jeannette and her bear, Blue. Nicole poured the 'tea' and passed cups around to us. We sipped daintily and held our pinkies up. Sirius refused at first but I reminded him that there was always the option of a celibate life. He seemed to consider the offer for a moment, which worried me. But then he grudgingly held up his pinky and pretended to be a lady.

After our tea party, I began to hunt around for lunch, while Teletubbies played in the background. Sirius and Jeannette were fighting over which Teletubby was the fattest, and Nicole was pretending to be Po. It suddenly got very quiet, but I paid no attention, just glad for a break from the noise.

"Hello?" I heard the sound of Mike's voice from the doorway about fifteen minutes later.

"Daddy!" Jeannette and Nicole ran into the hall to greet their father. I was about to follow when I suddenly heard hysterical laughter.

"What?" I asked curiously, making my way into the living room. Sirius had apparently just woken up form a short nap, because there was no way he'd let them do _that_.

"What?" Sirius echoed as I struggled to keep a straight face. Sirius' face was covered in makeup. Badly done make up, which looked like it could have been done by say, a five year old. His eyes had blue eye shadow not only above but below his eyelids, and eyeliner was smeared to almost halfway down his cheeks. Bright red lipstick clung to his mouth, and was smudged on his chin and teeth, as well.

"Go look in the mirror," Mike advised. Sirius sighed, as if he knew what was coming, before going into the bathroom for a look. I could have sworn I heard him mutter 'devil children' before he emerged, his face cleared of the makeup that had previously covered his face.

"I hate kids," he muttered, glaring at no one in particular.

'Good to see you, too, Sirius," Mike joked.

"Yeah, yeah."


	81. Horcrux Hunting

The animosity between Sirius and Jeannette faded after a couple of days. Instead of playing tricks on each other, they became almost inseparable. It had to be Sirius who made Jeannette's sandwich, Sirius who sat next to her during Teletubbies, and Sirius who told her a bedtime story. Sirius, of course, denied any attachment, but I could tell that he was fond of being a father figure to someone.

"I know you like her."

"Do not. She's a devil child."

"You think she's sweet."

"No."

"You let her follow you around."

"She's like a lost puppy. I can't get rid of her."

"I heard you telling her a story about you and James last night."

"I don't know any fairy tales."

"You two had another tea party yesterday."

'I'm English. I like tea."

"You wore that dress again."

"I think it matches my eyes."

"Admit that you like her."

"No."

"I heard you humming the Teletubbies song together."

"It's a catchy tune."

"And the lullaby while you tucked her in."

'I always wanted someone to sing me to sleep when I was little," he said quietly.

"And now you want somebody to sing to?" He nodded. "So do I." There was a small knock on the door before he could respond.

"Uncle Sirius?" Jeannette sniffed from the hallway, her teddy bear dangling by its arm as she held it tightly. "I had a bad dream."

"What was it about?" he asked.

"M-monsters."

"Do you want to sleep up here?" She nodded and sniffed once again. Sirius got out of bed and carried her over. "You get to stay right between me and Aunt Kara."

'Thank you," she mumbled as she curled up close to me and drifted off almost immediately.

"You'd be a good dad," I commented quietly.

"You'd be a good mum."

Jeannette bawled her eyes out when Sirius and I had to return to England. He promised to write her and drop in for a tea party every few weeks to make her feel better.

"You so like her," I muttered before Disapparating. I landed in my office at the school.

"So what if I do?" he retorted once he'd followed. I shrugged.

"Is that you two, back already?" I heard Remus' voice call from his bedroom.

"Oh, come off it, Remie. I know you missed us!" I shouted back.

"You're right. I could barely sleep at night from the separation anxiety. How did you know?" he retorted sarcastically as Sir Cadogan's portrait swung open and he entered the office.

"I must be psychic," I returned just as sarcastically. "I possess the Inner Eye." He and Sirius laughed.

"Yeah, and I'm the Minister of Magic," Sirius joked.

"Well, I didn't see that one coming." He rolled his eyes at my pun. "So really, Rem, how was your week?"

"Fine," he shrugged. "Nice rest, I suppose. Yours?"

"Sirius likes my niece," I sang obnoxiously.

"Good?" Remus asked. I nodded. Sirius said nothing, just shook his head.

"Well, I think I'm going to take a nap. Kids are tiring." With that, I left the two of them standing in my office.

The weeks passed quickly once term started up again, as rainy, dreary April gave way to the bright and sunny month of May. There were only three weeks left in the school year before I knew it, and I as incredibly relieved. Between Harry almost killing Draco Malfoy and Voldemort's followers causing more trouble every day, it would be a great relief once I didn't have to worry about grading papers. Plus, it would give me more time to assist Dumbledore in possibly the most important mission possible- finding Voldemort's remaining Horcruxes and destroying them.

Yes, Dumbledore had trusted me with the secret, and also trusted that my abilities, so weak in comparison to his own, would be good enough to help him. And so in my free time, I poured over what little record there was of Voldemort's past, attempting to discover a place that held enough significance to the Dark Lord for him to hide a part of his soul there. The memories Dumbledore had given me hadn't proved helpful, and I had no leads until I looked over one of Dumbledore's own memories...

"Albus, I think I've got a lead," I said immediately after he admitted me into his office. His eyes widened almost imperceptively, and he looked up at me with interest.

"And where would that be, Kara?"

"The cave. The one he brought those two children to." The headmaster's face remained blank as he considered the idea.

"That is a very likely proposition. I believe a visit to this cave is in order. I shall set about finding the right one immediately. Thank you, Kara," he added as we made your way to the exit.

"It's no trouble, Professor. Good luck finding the place." He gave no answer, as he was already bustling through a desk drawer.

It was another week, the second to last one of term, before Dumbledore was successful. He told me this the very morning before he planned to destroy the Horcrux.

"Kara, I'm afraid it would be best if I left you behind. I need as many Order members as possible to watch over the school while I am gone."

"I don't mind," I told him, even though I did a little bit. Not because it was my discovery- I didn't mind that part. But my very bones were aching for an adventure, for that revitalizing adrenaline rush that I lived for. But it seemed I would have to yearn a little longer, for I realized that my place tonight was at Hogwarts.

"I'm taking Harry with me," he added. This didn't surprise me, not after all the lessons he'd been giving my godson.

"Take care of him." He smiled. "And good luck!" I added as he turned away.

"I'm afraid we shall need it."


	82. Greyback's Attack

Dumbledore had been absent from the school for less than two hours. Less than two hours had passed without his protection. It had taken less than two hours for Hogwarts to be transformed from a safe haven to the location of a Death Eater attack.

I had been patrolling the halls quietly, as many Order members and teachers did the same. The castle was eerily quiet. And then Ron, Ginny, and Neville were hurtling towards me, panting, with panicked looks on their faces.

"Professor!" Ron called while they were still at the other end of the hallway.

"What's wrong?" I asked sharply, trying to keep the alarm from my voice.

"Death Eaters! They're in the castle!"

"Where?" I prompted, although what I really wanted to know was how.

"Don't… know…" he panted.

"Which way did they go?" I asked, alerting the rest of the Order to the Death Eaters' presence.

"Down that way," Ginny told you, pointing to where they had come from.

"Come with me," I ordered, already sprinting off. They followed obediently, drawing their wands.

I ran into Remus and Professor McGonagall- almost literally- as I followed a pathway of dark footsteps up to the tenth floor.

"What's going on?" Minerva asked worriedly. But before I could answer, we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face with a chaotic scene.

Tonks and Bill, the other Order members present in the castle, were dueling with a large group of Voldemort's servants. They were severely outnumbered, and were dodging curses more than they were actually fighting. Without wasting another moment to take in what was happening, I stunned a large blond Death Eater even while ducking out of the way of a Killing Curse. The others seemed to be startled from their outraged surprise and began to fight as well.

A tall, bony Death Eater shot the Cruciatus Curse at me, but I dodged quickly to the left, and it ended up hitting the blond Death Eater, who had just begun to stir. I blocked out his agonized screams, for they brought back memories of the last time I'd been in combat with the Dark Lord's followers. I Stupefied the bony one and the short, stout man standing just behind him, clearing a window so I could see Remus push Tonks out of the way of a Killing Curse. Ron and Ginny battled off to my left, holding their own. I noticed that one Death Eater looked as though he'd been hit by a particularly strong Bat Bogey Hex.

As the fighting continued, it became harder and harder for our small band to hold off the large group of Death Eaters. Everyone was beginning to tire, especially Neville. I Stupefied the Death Eater he was dueling, to hopefully give him a rest.

I heard a commotion coming from above you, in the Astronomy Tower. The Death Eaters seemed to have heard it too, for they looked towards the staircase, and a few began to rush up to the noise. I moved to follow, but the tall bony one from earlier turned and cast a charm, and I was knocked backwards when I tried to reach the stairs.

Even with a few of the Death Eaters gone, we were still heavily outnumbered.

"Minerva," I called. "Is there anyone else who can help us?"

"No!" she yelled back after stunning a Death Eater. "Wait! Severus is in his office. Filius!" Professor Flitwick turned.

"Yes, Minerva?"

"Go get Severus!" He nodded and hurried off towards Snape's dungeon office.

"I don't think we can hold them off much longer," Remus muttered as the two of us converged, Stupefying Death Eaters who stirred.

"We'll have to," I responded. "Maybe we should…" But what we all should do never left my lips, for at that moment the most feared werewolf in the world stepped calmly into the battle scene.

"Fenrir Greyback," Remus whispered. The un-transformed man still had many wolfish qualities, both ones that I could see and ones that I had only heard about. His placid façade dropped away before I could remember any stories, and he began to charge at Neville. I attempted to stun him but missed, and Greyback was almost to Neville, his jaws already opening hungrily. I began to run towards him, but was too far away. And then Bill stepped in front of the frightened boy, pushing him backwards and out of the way. But Greyback never stopped charging. And his carnivorous teeth sunk into Bill's face, and Bill screamed, and Remus tried to pull Greyback off, but he held fast. We were all staring, stunned, not knowing what to do. Remus kept at it, tugging at Greyback's shoulders, at finally a Death Eater threw a Killing Curse at him…

"Avada Kedavra!" But Remus turned, and the curse hit the Death Eater's cohort, and the large blond one dropped dead. The large thump this made caused enough of a distraction to Greyback that Remus could tear him away from Bill, who by now lay unconscious amidst a pool of his own blood.

Greyback, angry at being separated from his prey, turned to Remus.

"Stupefy!" Minerva shouted loudly, and Greyback crumpled to the floor. We all sighed with relief, and stunned a few more of the hooded figures. One of them, I noticed as she lay face down on the floor, had beautiful chestnut hair, pulled back into a severe bun…

Snape came hurrying through the scene, not even pausing to survey the damage before moving easily through the barrier which was impossible for the rest of us to penetrate. His robes swept up and around the corner after him. Just as I peeled my eyes away the tall bony figure hurled a curse at me, but aimed too high. The stone above the staircase fell, bringing the barrier with it.

The next thing I knew, Snape was rushing past me, Draco Malfoy right behind him. Harry bolted after them a moment later, and I caught a glimpse of the fury and pure hatred on his face before he disappeared. The rest of the Death Eaters who had gone upstairs earlier followed, but none stopped to fight, and the rest of the Death Eaters still standing hurried past as well. And as the last of them disappeared, I was sure your face matched Harry's, for the last hooded figure to pass me was none other than the woman with the severe bun, the woman who had seduced Peter to Voldemort's side so long ago, the woman who had murdered Natalie. Jennifer. But she was gone before I could even raise my wand. I started to run after her, but Remus stopped me.

"Don't, Kara. They're leaving. Help me get Bill to the Hospital Wing."

"But Remus! Did you see-" He nodded curtly before turning away from me.

"Yeah, I saw her." Without another word, he levitated the dead Death Eater, and I did the same to Bill, leading his floating body to the Hospital Wing.


	83. It's My Fault

We were all gathered around Bill's bed. No one said much; we were all too busy with our own thoughts. It had been a rough night. But once Ginny walked in, leading Harry, who looked lost, by the hand, I knew things were about to get worse. Remus strode over to meet Harry as he sat, looking pale and drained.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

"I'm fine...How's Bill?" When nobody answered, he turned to look at the motionless figure in the hospital bed. I could see disgust flash across his face. "Can't you fix them with a charm or something?"

"No charm will work on these. I've tried everything I know, but there is no cure for werewolf bites," Madame Pomfrey replied quietly as she brought out a bottle of strong smelling green ointment.

"But he wasn't bitten at the full moon. Greyback hadn't transformed, so surely Bill won't be-a real-?" Ron asked uncertainly, his eyes on Remus.

"No, I don't think that Bill will be a true werewolf," Remus replied carefully, "but that does not mean that there won't be some contamination. Those are cursed wounds. They are unlikely to ever heal fully, and Bill might have some wolfish characteristics from now on."

"Dumbledore might know something that'd work, though," Ron said. "Where is he? Bill fought those maniacs on Dumbledore's orders. Dumbledore owes him, he can't leave him in this state-"

'Ron-Dumbledore's dead," Ginny said quietly.

"No!" Remus shouted, looking bewilderingly between Ginny and Harry, and I could see the hope in his eyes- hope that Harry would contradict Ginny, would tell everyone that it was okay, Dumbledore was fine. But he didn't. Remus' face turned ashen and he sunk back down into his chair.

"How did he die?" Tonks whispered. "How did it happen?" All the eyes in the room were on Harry.

"Snape killed him." I could feel my eyes widen. "I was there, I saw it. We arrived back on the Astronomy Tower because that's where the Mark was....Dumbledore was ill, he was weak, but I think he realized it was a trap when we heard footsteps running up the stairs. He immobilized me, I couldn't do anything, I was under the Invisibility Cloak- and then Malfoy came through the door and disarmed him-more Death Eaters arrived-and then Snape-and Snape did it. The Avada Kedavra." Harry stopped talking, and just stood dejectedly. Hermione had her hands clasped to her mouth, and Remus had tears in his eyes. Madam Pomfrey was sobbing, until Ginny shushed her.

And then we heard it. A phoenix's farewell song rang out through the darkness; and the great sadness, and the terrible beauty of the dirge was enough to make my eyes tear. And as it went on, and we all sat in a disconsolate silence to listen, the music welled up in me even as my tears did. And my heart seemed as though it would burst from the feeling. The agonized lament seemed to somehow ease my own pain, just a little, and I lost track of the time until Professor McGonagall came into the room.

"Molly and Arthur are on their way," she said, and her words snapped me from the music's spellbinding mood, and we all blinked several times as though waking up from a long trance. Minerva showed the wear and tear of a recent battle, as did the rest of us. Her face was scraped and her robes frayed. And, like the rest of us, her eyes were sad, and lost. "Harry, what happened? According to Hagrid you were there with Professor Dumbledore when he- when it happened. He said Professor Snape was involved in some-"

"Snape killed Dumbledore," Harry interrupted, his voice hard. And suddenly there was fury mixed with my grief. Minerva swayed weakly, and I quickly conjured a chair for her to fall into.

'Snape," she repeated, her voice airy and insubstantial. "We all wondered...but he trusted...always...Snape...I can't believe it..." She closed her eyes wearily, trying to get her tired mind around this.

"Snape was a highly accomplished Occlumens," Remus pointed out, his voice severe. "We always knew that." His tone made me wince; even I had rarely heard Remus speak in so harsh a way.

"But Dumbledore swore he was on our side!" Tonks said quietly. "I always thought Dumbledore must know something about Snape that we didn't..."

"He always hinted that he had an ironclad reason for trusting Snape," McGonagall murmured while she dabbed her shining eyes with a handkerchief. "I mean...with Snape's history...of course people were bound to wonder...but Dumbledore told me explicitly that Snape's repentance was absolutely genuine... Wouldn't hear a word against him!"

"I'd love to know what Snape told him to convince him," Tonks muttered. So would I, I thought, but stayed silent.

"I know," Harry said. I swiveled my eyes to look at him. "Snape passed Voldemort the information that made Voldemort hunt down my mum and dad. Then Snape told Dumbledore he hadn't realized what he was doing, he was really sorry he'd done it, sorry that they were dead." I could do no more than stare, but inside I was fuming. He was the reason for Lily and James' deaths, for Sirius and I being kept apart for fifteen years, for everything...and I never knew. I worked with him, tried to be friendly to him, and he'd messed up everything...

"And Dumbledore believed that?" Remus spoke with no emotion, only incredulousness. "Dumbledore believed Snape was sorry James was dead? Snape hated James..."

"And he didn't think my mother was worth a damn either because she was Muggle-born... 'Mudblood,' he called her..." Nobody questioned the verity of Harry's words. We were all shocked, or horrified, or even both, as we tried to digest what had happened...How he'd fooled us all...

"This is all my fault," Minerva burst out suddenly. She twisted her wet handkerchief in her hands, and I pictured it as Snape's neck. "My fault. I sent Filius to fetch Snape tonight, I actually sent for him to help us! If I hadn't alerted Snape to what was going on, he might never have joined forces with the Death Eaters. I don't think he knew they were coming before Filius told him, I don't think he knew they were coming."

"Minerva, this isn't your fault," I said firmly, speaking for the first time that night. "We were all glad for the help, we all wanted Snape to come...If anything this is my fault. I sent him..." I trailed off, not ready to think about my hand in this. Harry had said Dumbledore was weakened. Weakened and ill, because of the cave? Because I'd thought I found a Horcrux? I didn't even know if they had come out victorious. But how victorious could they have been if Dumbledore was gone?

"So, when he arrived at the fight, he joined in on the Death Eaters' side?" Harry asked once he realized my sentence would be left hanging.

"I don't know exactly what happened," Minerva admitted. "It's all so confusing... Dumbledore had told us that he would be leaving the school for a few hours and that we were to patrol the corridors just in case... Bill and Nymphadora were to join us... and so we patrolled. All seemed covered. Every secret passageway out of the school was covered. We knew nobody could fly in. There were powerful enchantments ob every entrance into the castle. I still don't know how the Death Eaters can possibly have entered..." I as wondering the same thing.

"I do," said Harry, and he explained briefly about the Vanishing Cabinets.

"I messed up, Harry," Ron said dismally. "We did like you told us: we checked the Marauder's Map and we couldn't see Malfoy on it, so me, Ginny, and Neville went to keep watch on it...but Malfoy got past us." They explained about the Hand of Glory, and Malfoy's supply of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder.

"Luckily you all found me quickly, and I was able to contact everyone. We found the Death Eaters only moments later, near the Astronomy Tower," I said. "And then the fat one, Gibbon, set off the Mark. He was hit by a Killing Curse that just missed Remus."

Hermione blamed herself, maintaining that if she and Luna hadn't fallen for Snape's lie that Flitwick had collapsed, none of this would ever have happened.

"It's not your fault," Remus assured her firmly. "Hermione, had you not obeyed Snape and got out of the way, he probably would have killed you and Luna."

"So then he came upstairs," Harry pieced together, "and he found the place where you were all fighting..."

We all described the battle wearily, as though even repeating it orally was as tiring as fighting all over again. Fawkes' song continued to echo over the grounds and reverberate in me, even as I finished talking and fell silent once more. I stayed that way for several moments, until Molly and Arthur strode into the Wing, Bill's fiancé close behind. Arthur began to question Minerva as Molly bent over her son's disfigured face, sobbing.

"You said Greyback attacked him? But he hadn't transformed? So what does that mean? What will happen to Bill?"

"We don't know yet," Minerva answered, looking to Remus for help.

"There will probably be some contamination, Arthur. It is an odd case, possible unique...We don't know what his behavior might be like when he awakens." Mrs. Weasley was now dabbing Bill's wounds with the nasty smelling ointment.

"And Dumbledore...Minerva, is it true...Is he really...?" Mr. Weasley trailed off, no more able to say the word than any of the rest of us. Minerva could do no more than nod.

I had only the faintest memory of the rest of the night's events, I only remembered Mrs. Weasley and Fleur resolved their feud, and Hagrid moving the body, and Minerva questioning the school reopening. I finally fell into bed around four, and although I expected to be up all night, I was out in no time.

Three days after the event, I still couldn't believe that Dumbledore was dead. He had seemed untouchable, invincible even. If even Dumbledore was vulnerable, defeatable, was there any hope for the rest of us? And I still didn't even know if their attempt at destroying a Horcrux had succeeded. I had barely seen Harry since that night, and thought it best that he had a few days to absorb his experience before I pushed him to talk about it. For I had to make him talk about it; I had to search for the next one, the next piece of the puzzle. The next part of Voldemort's broken soul. Because I would not rest until the remaining pieces of his being had been found and destroyed, until only the one in Voldemort's own makeshift body was left. These were my last thoughts before Hagrid emerged into view, Dumbledore's purple-and-gold-star wrapped body resting in his enormous arms.


	84. A Wedding and a Funeral

The funeral, although sad, was very beautiful. It was nice to see all sorts of magical creatures pay their respects to Dumbledore. Although I tried to hold them in, I couldn't stop a few tears from falling from my eyes. Sirius held my hand the whole time, giving me a source of comfort. The service seemed to give me a little closure; I still felt Dumbledore's absence, but it was good to know he'd been appreciated.

I decided to talk to Harry before he left on the Hogwarts Express. People started filing out of their seats, the mood still somber; many women and a few men dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs. I made my way towards Harry, but Rufus Scrimgeour got to him first. Sighing, I settled into a seat in the back row and waited for him to finish, as Sirius conversed with Remus, Tonks, and Minerva on the other side of the clearing. Harry stalked away from Scrimgeour after a brief conversation; I made to catch up to him but were once again hindered by the Minister himself.

"Miss O'Connell," he called formally.

"Yes?" I replied, turning around to face the lion-like man.

"I heard about your hand in the battle the other night."

"What?" I stuttered, thinking he meant the Horcrux.

"I've been told you fought and defended yourself, and others, quite admirably."

"Oh," I breathed relievedly. "Thank you, sir."

"Well, I might as well get to the point," he said abruptly. "We, the Auror department, that is, could use some extra help. I know you and Fudge didn't part on the best of terms, but you're a good Auror, and we'd like to reinstate you." I was speechless for a moment.

"I'd love to help you out, Minister," I began, "but I must decline for the time being. Hogwarts will be needing protection too, with Dumbledore gone. For now, my place is here."

"Very well. But if you change your mind-"

"I know where to find you." Without another word, I hurried off to find Harry.

I found him just before he entered the school.

"Mr. Potter!" I called. He turned, and stopped so I could catch up. "Harry, we need to talk," I said quietly when I got closer.

"Okay." We turned back the way we had come and began to walk towards the lake. "What did Scrimgeour want?" he asked before I could begin.

"Me," I answered enigmatically. "What did he want with you?"

"Same," he replied.

"Harry, I have to know what happened while you and Dumbledore were gone." He seemed to debate about whether or not to tell me.

"He said not to tell anyone."

"I know, but you have to tell me."

"I can't."

"Please, Harry. I have to know if you found a Horcrux or not." His eyes widened in surprise.

"You know about them?"

"Of course I do. The cave was my idea. What happened?"

"It was already gone."

"What?!" He related what had transpired in the cave to me. "May I see the note?" He nodded and pulled what I assumed was the decoy Horcrux from his pocket. The gold shone in the bright daylight as he opened the locket and took out the folded parchment.

To the Dark Lord,  
I know I will be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more.  
R.A.B.

"R.A.B.," I breathed. "Regulus."

"What?"

"Nothing. Listen, I need to borrow this."

"And I need you to explain what's going on. You said you found the cave?"

"No. The cave was my idea. Dumbledore had me go through the memories he showed you, looking for clues. I heard Mrs. Cole speak of Tom leading those children to a cave, and thought it would make a good hiding place. I told Dumbledore and he tracked down the location." Harry said nothing. "You'd better get to the station," I said finally. "Don't want to miss the train."

"No," he agreed bitterly.

"Harry? I'll be in touch, don't worry. You'll know about everything that happens."

"Good."

"And, after you turn seventeen...I don't know if you had any plans, but you're welcome to stay with me and Sirius." He smiled slightly.

'I think I'd like that."

"Great. I'll see you at Bill and Fleur's wedding."

"Okay." With that, he ran to catch a carriage to Hogsmeade Station.

The first weekend of July was beautiful. The sun shone brightly and the few clouds in the azure sky were white and airy. The ceremony was to take place at ten o'clock that Saturday morning, in the garden at the Burrow. Exactly two hours before that, I found myself ringing the doorbell of Number Four, Privet Drive. The door was opened by a large, ruddy man, with no neck to be found.

'Hello, Vernon," I greeted pleasantly. "I haven't seen you in years." His moustache twitched.

"Boy!" he bellowed up the stairs rather than responding, "Get down here!"

"Coming!" I heard my godson yell, which was followed by a rather loud thump. But a moment later Harry appeared, dressed in a smart black suit, over which he wore light summer robes.

"Hello, Harry," I said. "Ready to go?"

"Yes."

"Hold on to my arm, then." He did so.

"What are you doing?" Vernon asked suspiciously. "You can't just disappear from my front porch!"

"Well then perhaps you should have invited me in." I stepped into the hall. "Shut the door if you like, Vernon, but I haven't got all day." He glared but slammed the door shut. "It was nice to see you again!" I told him just before a loud crack accompanied our Disapparation.

Mrs. Weasley was a nervous wreck when we appeared in the middle of the garden. She was still in her dressing gown, and her hair was in curlers, and she was shouting at the justice of the peace for looking at her 'with disdain'. The little bald man was looking thoroughly scared, and his Bible was clutched tightly to his chest.

"Molly!" I called, hoping to deter her. She gave a quick wave without looking at me. I hurried over to rescue the justice.

"...so maybe I don't look my best, but is it my fault? Is it my fault this I haven't had time to get ready? I mean, Merlin! My son is getting married today! Married!" She burst into tears.

"Molly," I soothed. "It's alright. Nobody thinks you look bad. You look gorgeous, and you're not even dressed. Now, why don't you go get ready, and I'll straighten things out."

"Thank you, Kara." She sniffled and hurried off into the house.

'I'm very sorry, sir," I apologized, turning to the justice.

"Oh, no, it's quite alright!" he assured me, wiping nervous sweat from his brow.

"I promise she's not always like this," I added before following Mrs. Weasley into the house, picking up stray curlers along the way.


	85. Half a Dozen Roses

~*Tonks's POV*~

Bill and Fleur's wedding was beautiful. Molly's Auntie Muriel's tiara looked perfect in Fleur's pale tresses, and Bills scars were healing well. The happiness that radiated off them made me wish it was me who was getting married; although I'd only been dating Remus for a few months, I cared deeply for him. But, as I knew, Remus was very rational. He wouldn't rush into such a big commitment as marriage. And I also knew, however, that I'd wait around if it took him forever to ask.

I smiled as my beloved werewolf made his way toward me.

"Hey," he greeted, giving my cheek a chaste kiss.

"Hi."

"The party seems to be winding down a bit."

"Yeah." It was nearly dinnertime; guests had only begun to leave because the firewhiskey had run out.

"Do you want to get going?"

"Sure. Let me just say goodbye to Molly." He nodded and we walked over to Molly, who was beginning to clean up the garden.

~*Remus POV*~

I watched Tonks adoringly as she went to bid Molly farewell, my palms already beginning to sweat. What if she said no? Tonks was very practical. She didn't usually rush into things. Hell, neither did I. But I couldn't live another day without knowing she was mine. Natalie was the only person I'd ever felt the same way about, and in my delay to commit, I'd lost the chance altogether. I couldn't take that chance again.

Nervously, I checked my pocket for the thousandth time that day. My fingers brushed against the velvety box and I withdrew them. Tonks was coming back to where I stood. There was no turning back now. Everything was in place.

"Ready?" she asked. I could only nod absentmindedly, hoping to God that she would accept and trying to refrain from thinking about how I'd feel if she didn't. We both Disapparated from the Burrow and she arrived at my apartment

~*Tonks POV*~

I arrived in Remus living room, and the first thing that caught my eye was a single red rose on the coffee table. Taking a closer peek, I noticed a card with my name on it. Smiling, I lifted it off the table and, smelling the rose, absentmindedly read the card.

_Laid out here is a hunt for clues. Follow along if you choose. Of course if you don't I'll have the blues. Look next where you would find my shoes._

I giggled girlishly. He never was the best at poetry. Without giving a thought to the fact that Remus still hadn't shown up, I made my way to his hall closet for clue number two. There lay another clue, a single red rose once again resting on top of it.

Three clues later, I found yourself in Remus bedroom. Five roses were gathered in my bouquet. I ducked down and retrieved rose and clue number six. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, I read:

_Now, dear Dora, as you've darted, From room to room, And clue to clue, Bring your roses and meet me back where you started._

I picked myself up off the bed and started eagerly towards the living room. The scene that lay before me when I got there caused me to bring my hands to my mouth in surprise, the half-dozen roses falling, forgotten, to the floor.

The room was dimly illuminated by one hundred white candles, whose flames danced merrily. Red roses filled every empty space possible; a few even hung down from the ceiling. And, there, in the center of it all, was Remus, down on one knew, a small black box in his hand the lid open to show off a sparkling diamond ring. His eyes were slightly apprehensive as I took everything in, and then he began to speak.

"Dora, I love you. I know we haven't been dating long, but I also know that my feelings for you won't change. And so, I was wondering: Will you marry me?" I nodded, unable to shrink my smile enough to answer verbally. He grinned back at me as I wiped my eyes before rising from his knee and striding over to me.

"I love you," he whispered, taking my trembling hand in his to slip the ring on my finger.

"I love you, too," I whispered back, moving in to kiss him.

~*Kara's POV*~

"Look, Kara! It's a turtle!" Sirius giggled, pointing up at a cloud that bore more of a resemblance to me than to a turtle.

"That's very interesting." He nodded.

"Let's go have sex behind those bushes!"

"Those are people, not bushes."

"No. They're bushes."

"If you say so."

"Yeah. Let's go have sex behind them."

"I don't think the bushes would appreciate that very much."

"They don't gots to know!" I didn't answer, but continued to drag Sirius towards the Burrow, cursing firewhiskey all the while. "I need a drink."

"No. A drink is the last thing you need."

"And the first thing I need is you, baby." He tried to be smooth and sling an arm around my waist, but he missed.

"Don't call me baby, please."

"Why not, baby?"

"Because I said so." His drunken mind tried to fumble out a response but failed, and the rest of our walk up to the house was a silent one.

"Drink this." I shoved a Sobriety Potion into his hand.

"Why?"

"It'll make the bushes happy."

"Bushes? Why would I care about them?"

"Because they let you have sex behind them." He gulped down the clear, bitter liquid quickly.

"I am such an idiot when I'm drunk."

"Yeah, you are."


	86. Coming of Age

The next week three weeks passed quickly; I spent almost every waking hour (including many when I should have been sleeping) searching for leads to another Horcrux. Once Harry turned seventeen moved out of his aunt and uncle's house, the protection he'd been under from living there would cease to exist. Voldemort wouldn't wait too much longer to attack; he'd want Harry as inexperienced as possible, and he'd want himself still immortal. The remaining pieces of his splintered soul needed to be found and destroyed quickly.

My days consisted of leafing through history books for possibilities as to what the remaining Horcruxes could be, and wondering where the real locket was.

I'd showed Sirius the note and he'd immediately agreed that it was Regulus, not only from the initials but from the handwriting. Once he'd digested the fact that his brother, although definitely still a prick, was not a coward, we discussed all the possible situations we could be in. It wasn't safe to assume that Regulus had broken the locket before he'd been killed; it was probable that we were still five Horcruxes away from our goal.

I ran through them in your head: locket, cup of Hufflepuff, something of Ravenclaw's, Nagini, Voldemort. That list had repeated itself at least a million times in my tired head. Yet no matter how many times you recited it, I got no closer.

July 31st was a very dreary day. I'd stayed up all night, as if a small part of me believed that I could still destroy a Horcrux before your godson's protection expired. The only results this brought were the large bags under my eyes as I wearily rang the doorbell to Number Four, Privet Drive for the last time. Sirius stood next to me, eyeing Vernon's car.

"It's so sleek," he commented enviously. "Reminds me of my motorcycle."

"Can we please not talk about that thing? It always sparks a fight." The door opened before he could respond. Harry stood in the doorway, his trunk at his feet. "Happy birthday!" I said brightly. Sirius echoed me.

"Thanks." He smiled.

"Is that everything you have?"

"No, I've got a few things in my room."

"Show us the way." He turned and sprinted up the staircase. We were led into a small blue room which was bare but for the many Muggle books stacked on high shelves, which looked as though they'd never been opened. Harry pointed to Hedwig's cage and a couple of smaller bags, which were in a pile on the floor.

"You know, Harry, we don't have to carry everything like this." He looked at me, confused.

"We don't?"

"We can shrink everything. Correction: you can shrink everything." His smile got bigger as he whipped out his wand.

"I'll be happy to get used to this," he remarked as he picked up his bags, now each only a few centimeters in size.

"It's a good way to live," I responded. "So, are we finished?" He nodded. "You don't want to say goodbye or anything?"

"Not really."

"Well then let's go."

After Harry had settled into what would be his room at Grimmauld Place, Sirius took him to the Ministry for his Apparition test. I took the opportunity to do some research, but didn't come across anything. Around five o'clock I gave up for the night and went to the kitchen to make dinner. I'd barely started when I heard a loud popping sound right behind me, causing me to scream and drop the carrots I'd been holding.

"Harry!" I shouted once I realized it was him. "Don't do that to me!" He just laughed as Sirius walked in and shook his head at me.

"What kind of Auror are you?" he teased.

'I'm a teacher," I corrected. "Congratulations on passing, Harry." I finished preparing dinner and the three of us ate together happily, like a proper family.


	87. The Dream

The next morning was back to work. I rose with the sun, covering the floor of the second floor living room with open books. Eyebrows furrowed in concentration and frustration, I pored over biography after biography about Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff. It was ten o'clock when Harry entered, looking around curiously at all of my books.

"What's all this for?" I blinked and looked up.

"What's what for?"

"All these books."

"I'm looking for clues."

"Clues?"

"As to where the remaining Horcruxes could be."

"Oh. Can I help?"

"I'm not sure it'll do much good. The answers won't be in a book."

"Then why-"

"It passes the time until we get a real lead." He sat down and picked up a thick volume. An hour passed in silence.

"Kara?"

"Hmmm?"

"How do we find a lead?"

'I'll let you know when I figure it out."

"This is going to be really hard without Professor Dumbledore, isn't it?"

"We'll manage just fine. He had faith in you, Harry."

'I know. I don't want to let him down."

"You won't. Once we get started on something useful it'll be fine."

"You really think this is the hardest part?"

"No. But for now we'll pretend like it is. There's no use worrying about the next step until we finish this one." He nodded and went back to reading.

"Kara?" he said again less than five minutes later. "What did you need the note from the locket for?"

"I had to show it to Sirius. To make sure he agreed with me."

"Agreed?"

"That it was his brother, Regulus, that wrote the note." Realization sprung onto Harry's face.

"So he didn't just get scared and back out," he said to himself. "He wasn't afraid...he took a Horcrux..." He turned his gaze once more towards me. "Does Sirius think it was him?" I nodded. "So there could be a clue hidden right here, in this house?" I shook my head.

"I doubt it, Harry. Even if there was something, Sirius said you've gotten rid of almost everything belonging to his family." Harry's face fell.

"So we've got nothing to go on."

"Don't worry," I encouraged him, "something will come up." At least I hoped it would.

The first week of August passed without event; Sirius was at training during the day, and Harry would sometimes Apparate over to the Burrow for lunch. Molly, Tonks and I occasionally got together to work on wedding plans, but other than that I kept mostly to yourself. I'd returned every book to the place I'd gotten it and directed my attentions to helping with the wedding, which was set to take place on the last Saturday of August. Often leads came to me once I'd turned my mind from the problem.

~*Harry's POV*~

I arrived home from the Burrow after a long day of de-gnoming gardens and playing Quidditch. Kara and Sirius were already asleep, so I silently climbed the staircases up to my bedroom, careful to skip the step that creaked. The last thing I needed was for Mrs. Black to wake up.

I changed into my pajamas and immediately fell asleep.

_The night was cold; even inside the house I could feel the winter chill in my bones. My fingers fumbled inside my pocket until they pulled out the long gold chain. I set it down quickly on the table; Voldemort's soul wasn't welcome in my hands. Determined to keep fear from my countenance, I picked up the chisel. It's cool metallic feel against my skin gave me confidence, and without another delay I brought it down on the open locket with all my strength. It wasn't enough to break the hinge. I tried again to no avail. A nervous sweat glistened on my brow. Time was running out. I closed the locket._

Salazar Slytherin's crest gleamed proudly across the front; I looked away in disgust. This man's House, his prejudices, and all the people that took them too far were the root of my problems, as well as those of the entire Wizarding community. My face contorted in anger and I screamed as I slammed the chisel's point into the center of the crest. A large crack appeared in the locket, and a malignant green light flashed, illuminating the dark room for an instant before leaving it once again in shadow.

I quickly brought the locket over to the sole light source: a small white candle in the corner. A droplet of hot wax fell onto my finger and I nearly cried out, remembering only at the last second to hold it in. There could be no disturbances. I returned my eyes to the locket; other than the fissure there were no apparent differences in appearance. I could only be fairly certain that the soul inside of it had been destroyed. It seemed too easy to hit it with a Muggle tool to annihilate it, but the retrieval had been so hard. I almost hadn't made it...

I shook my head to stop any reminiscing; there was still much to do. I grabbed a small piece of parchment and a quill, and my unsteady hand scribbled out a note. I folded it up and stuck it inside the locket.

I was halfway to the cabinet when I heard it: the unmistakable sound of footsteps crunching crisply on the snow. My heart race and my breathing quickened, but I forced myself to complete my task. After stashing the broken Horcrux in the cabinet, I strode down the stairs and, after a deep breath, opened the door, accepting my fate.   
_  
"Avada Kedavra!" _

I sat up bolt right; my scar was on fire and a cold sweat covered my body. My breath was ragged as I groped blindly for my glasses. Once I'd found them and placed them on my face, I swung my legs over the side of my twin bed and took a few deep breaths. That was the first nightmare I'd had that didn't relate to Dumbledore in a long time. I knew who it had been about this time, whose mind I'd seen things from. The rooms of the house I'd traveled through had been identical to the house I was in now, and I'd caught a glimpse of the man's reflection in the glass cabinet. He looked just like Sirius, only less happy, and more somber. I'd just seen the last moments of Regulus Black's life. And, more importantly, where he'd stashed a note important enough for him to write instead of attempting an escape.


	88. Kreacher

~*Kara's POV*~

Harry was already in the kitchen when I arrived there at seven o'clock. I yawned in greeting and he looked up from his mug of coffee. The large dark circles under his eyes surprised me.

"Sleep well, Harry?" I asked a little sarcastically.

"I had a dream last night. I think it'll be able to help us." My eyebrows rose in curiosity. "I was Regulus. He had the locket, and he broke it with a chisel. This green light flashed, and the locket cracked. Then he wrote a note, stuck it in the locket, and hid it in that big brown glass cabinet in the living room. There was a knock on the door. He answered it and someone killed him." I was silent for a moment after he'd finished. If only the locket were still in the cabinet...

"Harry, are you sure the locket isn't there anymore?" He nodded. "You checked?" This time he shook his head.

"I remember throwing it out." We both sighed.

"Is there any way it didn't make it out of the house?"

"None that I can think of. Who would take it out of the trash bag?" He inhaled sharply as my jaw dropped.

"Kreacher," we breathed in unison. The two of us hurried out of the kitchen and over to Kreacher's small closet bedroom just past the dining room. Harry threw the door open without as much as a knock; Kreacher, who had apparently been sleeping, leapt up and gave a low, mocking bow.

"What can Kreacher do for Harry Potter?"

"Do you have anything that we threw out last summer? From the glass cabinets?"

"Why would Kreacher have that? Master, filthy little blood traitor that he is, forbid Kreacher to take anything."

'We need Sirius to order him to get what he has." Harry nodded in agreement, and I sprinted up to my room, where Sirius still slumbered. "Sirius," I said loudly, "get up."

"No." He turned away from me and pulled the cover tighter around him.

"Yes. It's really important."

"Nothing can be important enough to get me out of bed at 7:30 on a Saturday."

"This is. It's about a Horcrux." He glared but sat up, running a tired hand through his bed head. "Hurry up."

"I'm coming." He rose from the bed and followed you down to the closet.

"Ow!" Harry yelled as Kreacher threw a large fork at his leg. With a sinister laugh, he slammed the door.

"Kreacher!" Sirius bellowed. The door opened.

"Yes, Master?"

"What am I supposed to tell him?" Sirius whispered out of the side of his mouth.

"Make him bring us what he took from the trash bags you filled with your parents' stuff."

"Kreacher, get everything you stole from the trash and bring it here."

"Yes Master, you dirty rotten-"

"Now!" With a bow, the wrinkly old house elf receded into the dark closet. I heard a series of bangs and thumps before he returned, a large pile of Black family heirlooms in his arms.

"Thank you, Kreacher," I said in as polite a voice as I could muster.

"Nasty little Mudblood thinks she can address Kreacher. What an ugly, annoying thing she is."

"Don't insult her again Kreacher. And I'll dismiss you if you ever throw another thing at Harry." Without giving the glaring house elf a chance to respond, Sirius marched back up the stairs and probably back to sleep.

Harry took everything from Kreacher and dropped it unceremoniously into the dining room table. The two of us sifted through jewelry boxes, goblets, and yellowing awards of service for fifteen minutes before I spotted a thick golden chain peeking out from under a picture of Sirius' parents. I gently lifted it up to reveal the heavy golden locket that hung on the chain; just as I suspected and hoped, there was a large crack running through Slytherin's crest.

"I found it," I announced as casually as I could. Harry let the ring he'd been examining drop onto the table. I handed him the locket; once it rested in his palm he stared at it intensely. "Open it."

"Oh. Right." But it wouldn't budge. "You try," he said frustratedly a moment later after banging it on the table didn't work.

"Alright." Still nothing. "Maybe he sealed it with a spell?"

"What kind of a spell?"

"Maybe something like the Marauder's Map? Put your wand to it and say things."

"Ok. Umm...I want to find the Horcrux." Nothing. "I need to read your note." Nothing. "You have what I need." Nothing. "Open." Nothing. "Please?" Obviously nothing. "I need to defeat Voldemort." The locket opened easily under his force. He pulled the note out and unfolded it.

"What does it say?"


	89. Interpreting Regulus

_To Whoever May Be Reading This:  
I am glad that the fight to defeat Voldemort still goes on, and that I have not died in vain. Many horrible things have transpired since I came across the Horcrux which you now hold in your hands, but there is no time to describe them. Nor is there time for secrecy and riddle; I can only hope that you really do aim to destroy the Dark Lord, and not to help him to remove all evidence of his immortality. My time expires- Helga Hufflepuff's goblet is hidden under this very house, 12 Grimmauld Place. Go to the Gray bedroom on the third floor. Good luck.  
R.A.B. _

Silence engulfed the room as Harry and I gathered our thoughts. A Horcrux was hidden right here? How could that be? I had known Sirius's parents were supporters of Voldemort, but I was surprised by the apparent degree of trust he had placed in them. And how could a Horcrux have sat unbothered and unnoticed for so long at Order headquarters? Harry's scar hadn't hurt and Dumbledore had accidentally missed a part of Voldemort's soul sitting in one of the bedrooms?

"This is impossible," Harry said suddenly. "There is no gray bedroom on the third floor. And even if there was, how could Dumbledore have missed it?"

'So you don't want to regard this as trustworthy evidence? You believe that Regulus was wrong? That he would have led the person who attempts to finish a task he started astray?"

"I want to. After everything Sirius said about him...But this is all we have to go on."

"I think we agree that it can't hurt to search the third floor."

"Let's get started." The two of us trekked up to the third floor. Five closed doors lined the hallway, waiting to be opened and searched. We quickly peeked into each of them; just as Harry had said, not one of them was gray. "Is there a spell to determine what the colors of the walls used to be?"

"Even if there is I don't know it. We'd have to physically chip off paint, and even in we did there's no guarantee that whoever changed the wall color left the previous shade up."

"I'm going to get Ron and Hermione over here. Maybe they'll have an idea." I nodded and he went to owl his friends.

Once Harry had gone I made my way to Sirius' bedroom. Instead of finding him asleep, like I'd expected, he was sitting up and reading.

"How goes the hunt?" he asked without taking his eyes off the page.

"It just keeps getting stranger. We found a note from Regulus in the real locket. It says that a Horcrux is hidden in this house"

'Here? That's crazy. Dumbledore wouldn't have overlooked that."

"I don't know, Sirius. He wasn't all knowing. He was just mostly knowing. If the locket went undetected, the Horcrux could stay that way just as easily."

"So what are you going to do from here?"

"Me? Nothing."

"What?"

"It's Harry's task. I've done enough to get him started; he and his friends will do the rest."

"Are you out of ideas?"

"Not quite. But Harry will figure everything out."

"I know." I moved closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. He put his arm around me, pulling me into him, and I sighed contentedly. "You're nervous," he stated. I nodded into his chest. "Why?" I shrugged.

"I know they're smart kids, but they're just kids. Dumbledore was hurt by that ring. If Harry's in the same situation, I'm afraid he'll get more than a blackened hand." He enveloped me in a tight hug.

"We'll just have to hope that things turn out alright. Maybe you should go with them."

"Not unless he asks me too. But I'll bet if he asks anyone it'll be you."

"It shouldn't be. You've helped him the whole way."

"Exactly. My part is finished."

"I doubt that. Even if I do go with them." We were both silent for a moment.

"I'm really tired," I remarked with a yawn.

"Take a nap. I'll stay here so you can stay on my shoulder."

"Thanks."

"Of course. I love you."

"I love you too." I closed my eyes and fell asleep instantly.

Unfortunately, I was awakened less than ten minutes later by the sound of shouting on the floor below me.

"Ron and Hermione are here," Sirius explained as I groaned tiredly.

"I can't wait until they realize they love each other. Then maybe they'll shut up."

"Did we shut up when we realized we were in love with each other?"

"I'm trying to be optimistic here!"

"Sorry."

"I suppose I can find it in my heart to forgive you." I leaned in and kissed him.

~*Harry's POV*~

I heard Ron and Hermione arguing before I saw them. They entered the maroon bedroom in which you sat, still in heated debate.

"Guys!" I shouted to quiet them, "I need your help, but only if you can get along."

"Sorry," they said in unison.

"Can I see the note?" Hermione asked, holding her hand out. I nodded and thrust it into her palm. "Well that's not hard. Which room is gray?"

"None of them."

"Oh. Well then, it must mean something else."

"Like what?" Ron asked, having just finished reading it for himself.

"I don't know."

"That's a big help, 'Mione."

"Shut up, Ronald! You don't know what it means either, do you?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Exactly. No be quiet so we can figure this out." She turned back to me. "What does Kara think?"

"She doesn't know either." Sighing, she sat next to me on the edge of the double bed. Ron rolled his eyes at her as she read the note several more times, mouthing the words as she went.

"Harry, look!" she exclaimed after reading it about five more times through.

"What?" All I saw was the same note.

"Gray is capitalized."

"So?"

"So maybe Regulus meant a person, not a color! I wonder if there was someone named Gray who lived here before Sirius' family?"

"We could ask him," Ron suggested.

"He's upstairs right now," I mentioned.

"I don't think we have to go ask him," Hermione said excitedly.

"Why not?"

"In the room Ginny and I stayed in last summer, the one right across the hall, there was a portrait of a man. The plaque on the bottom of the frame said his name was Adrian Gray." Without another word the three of us hurried across the hall.

There, on the wall next to one of the house's many never-ending wardrobes, was a picture of an old man whose name described him perfectly. Not only was his long, thinning hair gray, but his skin and eyes were also tinged with the same dull color.

"So this is the room," I remarked quietly, taking a quick look around. "What looks like it would be a Horcrux?"

"I don't think it can be this easy," Hermione said cautiously from beside me. "If it was out in the open someone could have accidentally broken it."

"But we've got nothing else to go on," Ron said. "Maybe the picture knows something?"

"Maybe the picture is the Horcrux," I guessed.

"Should we break it?" Ron asked.

"I don't think so," Hermione said.

"What do you propose we do instead, Miss Know-It-All?"

"Please, Ronald. Stop being so childish. I don't know what we should do yet. But I don't think the Horcrux is right in this room. Maybe there's another clue behind the picture?" She looked and came up empty-handed. "I have to read the note again."

''Mione, I think you've gotten all you can from that thing."

"There's nothing else we can go on; something else has to be in here." Her eyebrows furrowed as she brought the page close to her face and read it. Ron snatched it from her. "Hey!"

"Let me look." He skimmed it a couple of times, mockingly, before his eyes got wide in surprise.

"What is it, Ron?"

"It's 'hidden under this very house'...Under! So maybe it's in the basement?"

'Then why would we be sent here?" I nodded in agreement with Hermione's statement. My eyes swept the room once more, until they fell on the wardrobe...

"Under," I whispered. "What if the wardrobe isn't as never-ending as Sirius said it was?"

"You mean the Horcrux is hidden in there?" Hermione clarified. I nodded. "It's possible. More than possible, actually."

"I think we need to schedule a little trip down there," I said.


	90. Al Bakads

"First we should let Kara and Sirius know we're going," Hermione suggested. "Just in case..." she trailed off.

"You want to go right now?" Ron asked nervously.

"Why would we wait? There's nothing left to do." She had a point; Ron didn't argue it.

"I'll go tell them," I offered, already halfway out the door. I could feel adrenaline pumping through my body as I climbed the stairs, a mixture of fear and excitement for what was to come coursing through my veins. I opened the door to their room without knocking and immediately wished I hadn't; couldn't they lock the door if they were going to snog like that? Eyes averted, I cleared my throat loudly. They hurriedly jumped apart and looked over to me.

"Sorry to interrupt," I said, my face turning red, "but we found out where the Horcrux is." They didn't look as surprised as I'd expected them to.

"So are you going to go get it now?"

"There's really no point waiting."

"Good luck," Sirius said sincerely; for some reason this made me very aware of how much we'd need it.

"Thanks. Well...I guess I'll see you later, then?" Kara nodded.

"Stay calm," she advised before I closed the door and returned to the Gray room.

"All set, then?" Hermione asked when I walked in, her determined face slightly pale.

"The sooner we get going the better." The three of us stood in front of the open wardrobe, peering down into the eerie darkness that seemed to envelop us even from outside of it.

"Lumos." Hermione shone her lit wand down the shaft, trying to glimpse the bottom. Her efforts were fruitless; the beam reached only far enough to reveal more darkness.

"I'll go first," I announced, preparing to jump.

"Harry wait," Hermione stopped me. "Use a spell to slow yourself down- we can't count on Devil's Snare to break the fall." I nodded, smiling slightly at the old memory, and then plunged myself into the abyss. Immediately, I cast the same spell used by Madam Hooch to stop me from hitting the ground so quickly during Quidditch. Although I knew it was safer this way, it made what I assumed would already be a long fall to the bottom even lengthier. It was about ten minutes before I unexpectedly hit the ground, which was as dark as the empty space above it. Rubbing my tailbone, I raised myself up and lit my wand, hoping to get a quick look around before Ron or Hermione reached me.

I had expected more endless blackness, but instead, about ten yards to your left, a large stone archway was visible. Before I could move to get a closer look, Hermione landed next to me, followed by Ron a few seconds later.

"That was a bloody long fall," he commented, looking up.

"Now what?" asked Hermione, ignoring him.

"I'm guessing we go through there." I pointed to the arch. The three of us approached it cautiously, our lit wands pointing into its middle. Despite this illumination, we could not see past the archway, or gain any clue as to what was waiting for us in the next room.

"Here goes nothing," Ron muttered before stepping forward. Instead of walking through the arch, however, he hit an invisible barrier and was repelled backwards, directly into me.

"Ow," we moaned at the same time, struggling to pull ourselves up. Hermione hadn't seemed to take notice of our fall; she was inspecting the cold, gray stones of the arch.

"What are you looking for, 'Mione?" I asked.

"I'm looking at the writing on these stones." Rom and I were quickly at her side.

"Can you make out what it says?" She nodded.

"Some of it. It's written in hieroglyphics; we studied them in Ancient Runes last year." She continued to examine the symbols while Ron and I stood by uselessly. "I think I've got all I can," she announced a few minutes later, conjuring a piece of parchment and a Muggle pencil and making rapid marks on it. She handed me her translation.

_AL_ BA_K_A_DS

"Al Bakads?" Ron read over my shoulder, "Who's he?"

"Honestly, Ronald," came Hermione's exasperated reply, "it's not a name, there are letters missing."

"Oh. Right. So what are they?"

"If I knew, they wouldn't be blank, now would they?"

"No, I guess not."

"So now all we have to do is fill in the blanks, right?" I clarified, in part to shut them up.

"Exactly." The three of us tried all combinations of letters randomly for the next quarter of an hour, yielding no results. "Enough!" Hermione finally said. "We're never going to solve it this way. We need a logical process. What words do you know that have _al _in the middle?"

"Ball? Fall? No, we already did that...crawl? Oh yeah, that's not spelled right..." Ron continued on, not coming up with a single word that would make sense.

"What about you, Harry? Any ideas?" I shrugged.

"Wall?"

"That could work." Hermione penciled it into the blanks. "But then what's the second word...Oh yeah...If this one's _w _then so is this...Wait. It can't be _wall _I already know what the symbol for l looks like."

"Maybe it's something else? Like wall but with a different letter on the end?" Ron offered.

"Like what?" He thought.

"Walk?" Her eyebrows rose.

"That's actually a good theory. And it leaves us with....this." She once again gave me the parchment.

WALK BA_KWA_DS

"Any more ideas, Ron?" I asked, handing him the parchment. He scrutinized the page.

"I've got it!" Hermione shouted before he could come up with anything. "Backwards. Walk backwards!" Ron and I shared a skeptical look.

"Simple enough," Ron said finally. "Weird, but simple enough."

"I don't like it," I said. "Whatever's through the archway is obviously something Voldemort didn't want us to see right away. There's probably something waiting to sneak up on us."

"There's only one way to find out."

"Keep your wands ready," I advised, and the three of us stepped backwards into the next chamber.


	91. Snakes and Sphinxes

My eyes hurt from the sudden presence of light, but I forced myself not to squint. I had to be ready for the attack. Thirty seconds passed, then a minute. Nothing came, and I allowed myself to relax just enough to take a look at our surroundings.

The stone chamber was warmly lit by candles, placed evenly around the walls. The flames flickered, making shadows dance across the floor. Despite the fire, it was chilly.

"Maybe we came the wrong way?" Ron guessed.

"I think someone went to a lot of trouble to make the wrong way look like the right way," Hermione countered.

"There could have been something the other way," Ron defended himself. "Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to go look. It's not like anything's happening in here."

"What do you think, Harry?"

"It can't hurt to check out the other way," I answered. But we couldn't get out of the room. We walked backwards, forwards, sideways, and nothing worked.

"I guess this is the right way," Ron conceded.

"And if it isn't, we're still stuck here," I added.

"What about a spell?" Hermione suggested.

"Like what?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." It must have been killing her to say this so many times so often since she'd arrived.

"Try something," I told her.

"Umm...Alohomora." Ron attempted to get through but was once again repelled backwards. "There must be a way to get through the room. Maybe we should look for a secret passageway?" I had barely begun to tap the bricks on the wall when I heard a group of low, rasping voices.

_"Kill the intruders we must...sink fangs into them...yessss..." _

"Do you hear that?" Ron asked.

"It sounds like hissing," Hermione agreed. But only I heard the voices, which were getting steadily louder and more informative.

_"Bite...kill those who can't understand us, who cower from ussss..." _

"Snakes," I muttered. "They're snakes," I repeated louder to Ron and Hermione. "I can understand them."

"What are they saying?" Hermione asked fearfully, no doubt remembering the basilisk from second year. I didn't answer; at least fifty snakes had just entered through a doorway on the opposite side of the room which definitely hadn't been there a moment before...

Their emerald green scales sparkled in the orange candlelight, which was also reflected in their yellow eyes.

_"Kill them...bite them...fulfill the curse..." _Five of the snakes started to advance, the rest guarding the doorway. We were slowly backing ourselves into a corner. _"Get rid of them." _The snakes displayed their pearl white fangs, each at least two inches long. Mustering my courage, I looked the closest one straight in the eye.

_"Stop." _Four of them did. But the largest one, whose scales were darker and more magnificent than the others', continued to move until he was right at my feet.

_"Is that you who speaks to usss?"_

"Yes."

"You command us to 'stop' in our own language?"

"I ask you to let my friends and I pass unharmed."

"For what reason?"

"There is something past here that we need."

"It does not belong to you."

"I know."

"Do you work for the Dark Lord?"

"No."

"So you oppose the man who bound us to thiss dark tomb, where we can neither see the sun nor feel the fresh air?"

"I do."

"We are only supposed to let through one that speakss to us."

"Is that not what I do now?"

"I mean your friendsss." I as silent. _"Do not move." _With this instruction he slithered over to where his fellow snakes waited. I caught only an occasional word that escaped from their huddle. The leader made his way back to me after a few minutes. _"We will let you pass, along with your friendss, if you promise to free usss from this place."_

"I can try, but I don't know if I can promise anything."

"I suggest you find a way to free uss. You may be untouchable under our curse, but your friends are not."

"I'll free you," I vowed. The snakes cleared a path leading to the doorway.

_"Good luck, Parseltongue," _the leader said.

_"Thanks." _He slithered back to his group, which retreated into the room that lay ahead.

"What did they say?" Hermione's voice felt harsh after the smooth snake language.

"Voldemort put a curse on them; they're supposed to attack anyone who's not a Parseltongue. But as long as we free them after we get the Horcrux, they'll let us all pass on."

"How are we going to free them?"

"We'll think of something," I said flippantly, my mind more focused on destroying the Horcrux. "Let's go." The three of us walked unhindered through the doorway, which disappeared once we stepped over the next chamber.

"Still no way back," Ron muttered. We all surveyed the room. It was in sharp contrast to the almost cheerful room before it; green light coming from the floor cast eerie glow on the dreary gray walls. The slight luminescence allowed us to see the myriad of shed snake skins, which appeared less majestic and more malignant in the unfriendly shadows. My vision wasn't at its optimum, but I could have sworn that a few of the skins held dead snakes.

A long hall stretched ahead of us, a corridor of stone and darkness to which I could see no end. We began walking in silence; only the occasional sound of one of us stepping on the crisp green skin pierced the stale air.

"It's freezing," Hermione remarked fifteen minutes into our walk, pulling her thin sweater closer to her.

"Here," Ron said, offering her his sweatshirt.

"Thanks," she said, smiling sheepishly at him before returning her gaze forward.

"You're welcome. Do you think this could be the 'never-ending' part Sirius was talking about?" he added a moment later.

"I sure hope not," I replied. It was at least another half an hour before we came across anything but green light and snake skin. But suddenly there was an eruption of white light, and a large Sphinx materialized in front of us. I studied the womanly facial figures of her, a member of a species you hadn't seen since the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

"Bloody hell!" Ron cried in surprise.

"Quiet," the Sphinx ordered. "I am here to deliver your riddle. If you succeed in answering correctly, you will pass into the final chamber and success will be close at hand. If you do not, I will strike you dead on the spot and leave your bodies to rot here underground forever." I fought the urge to gulp. "Are you ready?" We all nodded hesitantly, and the Sphinx delivered her challenge.

"Pronounced as one letter,  
And written with three,  
Two letters there are,  
And two only in me.  
I'm double, I'm single,  
I'm black, blue, and gray,  
I'm read from both ends,  
And the same either way.  
What am I?"

Silence. I could see the wheels turning in Hermione's brain, and I tried to focus my own energies. But I could barely remember the puzzle, much less begin to figure it out. Ron, I could tell, was feeling the same as me. All our hope rested on Hermione.

"I think I know," she whispered a minute later.

"Then say it," Ron said.

"What if I'm wrong?" Her eyes were filling with tears.

"Hermione, you're never wrong. And I don't think you're going to start now," he said quietly. She sniffed and gave Ron a small smile. "Harry and I are obviously clueless. You're our only hope." Hermione turned back to the Sphinx.

"An eye," she said confidently. The Sphinx delayed her reaction for a second, making you worry. But then she stepped aside, revealing yet another stone archway.

"Well done," she said before vanishing.

"I knew you could do it, 'Mione," Ron said. I stayed silent, wondering if the two of them could finally be coming to their senses. I'd have to wait until later to ponder it further, however, because the Horcrux was waiting in the next room.


	92. Blue Pincers

The room that apparently held the Horcrux was much smaller than any of the other chambers; the ceiling was low and damp and the walls seemed to push in on us. There was no apparent light source, yet as faint yellow glow dimly lit the minuscule space, casting long shadows everywhere.

"Creepy," Ron commented from beside me. Neither Hermione nor I responded; our eyes were fixed on the stand erected in the exact center of the room. It was about waist high, and made of the same dull gray stone as all the walls. If I squinted I could make out the faint outline of a goblet, but it wasn't gold like it was in Voldemort's memory. It was pitch black and appeared to be vibrating. "What are you two looking at?" Ron asked, his eyes roaming the room. "Oh..." he breathed weakly, paling, when he realized what was crawling all over the cup. The ceiling suddenly became very interesting to him. Hermione lit her wand and pointed it directly at the spiders.

Even I felt the urge to look away; each spider was at least as big as my fist, and was covered in thick black hairs. The only part of them that wasn't black were the bright blue pincers protruding from their mouths.

"Gross," Hermione said. "How are we going to get them off?"

"I'm not touching them," Ron stated firmly.

"Maybe we just have to push them away," she suggested, disregarding Ron completely.

"We could try." Not able to hide my disgusted expression, I nevertheless rolled up my sleeves and approached the stand. Hermione stood on the other side; we looked at each other resolutely. "Ready?" The moment I thrust my hand in a spider crawled onto it and injected a pincer. I gasped from the shock and heard Hermione make the same noise. I had just looked over to see a spider on her hand as well when I felt a sharper jab and dropped unconscious to the floor.

~*Kara's POV*~

I looked on from a window as the fiery orange sun disappeared below the horizon. From that point the transition from day into night was swift. Stars boldly began to twinkle in the navy sky, not yet outdone by the moon, who had not yet risen from her diurnal slumber. Sirius came and hugged me from behind, planting a kiss on the nape of my neck.

"I'm sure they're fine," he assured me, not sounding too convinced himself.

"I know." I turned my head and glanced at the clock. 7:30. They'd been gone for almost ten hours.

"Maybe you should make a cup of tea or something."

"Yeah." But I didn't move from the window.

"Do you want me to make it for you?"

"I really don't feel like tea right now. Thanks anyway."

"Worrying won't bring them back faster, love."

"I know, because if it did they'd have been gone for less than a minute."

"But that wouldn't have been enough time to accomplish anything."

"I think ten hours is a bit more than enough time."

"We don't know what's down there. It may be a lengthy process."

"Or a deadly one."

"What's wrong, Kara? You're usually so optimistic."

"It's my day off."

~*Harry's POV*~

The first sensation I felt was a throbbing pain in my head. I groaned weakly and slowly brought a hand up to massage my forehead.

"Harry!" Ron's relieved voice made me cringe and my head pound harder.

"Shhh."

"Sorry," he whispered. "You're awake! It's been an hour since you passed out." I tentatively opened my eyes and looked up to find Ron towering over me.

"Where's Hermione?"

"She's over there." He pointed to a small, crumpled form on the opposite side of the stand.

"Is she-"

"Yeah, she's breathing. Barely. We'd better find a way to get out of here quickly." I nodded and attempted to prop yourself up on my hands, but the one with the bite wouldn't support any weight. With a closer look I saw that the entire back of my hand was a large blue and purple bruise. In the very center was a small white Dark Mark symbol, shockingly bright against its dull backdrop. "Hermione has one too," Ron said when he noticed me looking. "But hers says 'Mudblood' underneath the Mark."

"I need to stand." Ron helped me up. "Where's my wand?" He produced it from his pocket.

"You both dropped them when you fell," he explained.

"Lumos." Holding my wand awkwardly with my left hand, I carefully approached the stand and inspected the spiders and their surroundings. "There's writing on the side," I discovered.

"Where?" Ron asked from a few feet away.

"Right by the top." I traced the engraved letters. "I don't think it's in English."

"Read it."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I already told you, it's not English. Plus, most of the letters are faded."

"Just tell me what you can make out."

"Alright," you sighed. "This word looks like 'porous'."

"Porous?"

"Yeah. P-U-R-U-S."

"Purus, not porous, you dolt. It means pure."

"How d'you know?"

"A lot of purebloods use it on their crests."

"Oh...Well, that's about all I can see except for a letter here and there."

"That doesn't help much." I remained silent, begging myself to come up with an idea. "Purus," I repeated quietly, studying the spiders and my hand alternately. "What if that's what the spiders are for?" I asked no one in particular, starting to get excited.

"Huh?"

"What if the first time the spiders bit us they were taking a blood sample?"

"You mean that they knocked you out because you weren't pureblood?" I nodded vigorously.

"That's why Hermione was affected more than I was, and why hers says 'Mudblood'. They must have been able to tell that she's Muggle born, and I have half Wizarding blood."

"It makes sense," Ron conceded. "But what are we going to find a pureblood to get the goblet?" I raised my eyebrows at him. "Oh, no... No way. I can't."

"Ron, there's no way back. You're the only one who can pass that blood test. Just think of Hermione- she'll die if we don't get out of here soon." He glanced sadly to Hermione's motionless form. "I know you can do it." He sighed.

"There really is no other way, is there." It wasn't a question, because we both already knew the answer. "I guess I don't have a choice." He looked at the spiders' blue pincers and gulped. I watched for a minute, letting him prepare to face his fear. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"You're going to have to help me." I took him by the arm and dragged him to the stand. "I'm going to faint."

"No, you're not. You're going to be fine." His breath was coming in ragged bursts. "Don't worry, Ron. You're doing this for the whole Wizarding community. And Hermione." He nodded and squeezed his eyes shut before plunging his left arm into the midst of the spiders.

"Ow," he said weakly at the spider's bite. I caught him before he fell.

"Look," I ordered. "They're moving aside for you." The spiders had scuttled to the edge of their shallow basin, leaving the goblet completely clear. "Grab the goblet."

"You have to do it."

"I can't. They'll bite me again." I gave him a pointed look. "I hate you." He reached his arm gingerly over the hairy arachnids and took the cup quickly.

"I don't believe we did it," I breathed. I heard a weak whimper from below me, and saw Hermione reach a hand up to massage her forehead.

"'Mione! You're alright!" Ron exclaimed happily.

"How do you define 'alright'?" she asked quietly.

"Awake?"

"Then I guess I'm alright. But my hand hurts."

"Spider bite," I said simply. Turning back to the stand, I saw that they were gone. "They must disappear once the goblet's been taken."

"You got it?!" Hermione asked.

"Ron did." She turned to him.

"How?"

"I'll explain later. Right now we've got to get out of here."

"I don't know how we're going to do that. I thought that maybe an exit would appear, but..." I trailed off.

"Maybe you should push that thing." Hermione, who was leaning on Ron for support, pointed to the place where the goblet had once rested. There was a barely visible gray button in the center.

"I think Ron should do it, just to be safe," I suggested. She nodded. Ron stepped forward and pressed down. The stand disappeared and a spiral staircase rose slowly from the floor. "I wonder where it leads," I said. "What if it's somewhere dangerous?"

"Let's just hope it isn't," Ron said. I had just put your foot on the bottom stair when I stopped. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The snakes. I promised I'd help them get out."

"Come on, Harry. Let's just get out of here."

"I can't do that. Wait here. I'll go find them."

"You can't go back," Hermione pointed out.

"Are you sure?" I stepped through the doorway and back in again. "I guess that whole thing stops once someone's taken the cup. I'll go quickly." With that I left again and started down the dismal green-lit corridor, which didn't seem as depressing with the weight of the goblet in my hand. I ran, and reached the end of the hall in about five minutes. The snakes were gathered near the entrance to the previous room.

_"You came back, Parseltongue."_

"Of course."

"So you have accomplished your goal?"

"Yes. Follow me. I've found a way out." The snakes slithered along behind me as I led them back to the dark, moldy Horcrux room. What I saw when I entered made you smile; Hermione and Ron were kissing on top of the stand. I cleared my throat loudly and they hurriedly broke apart. "Ready to go?" I asked pleasantly.

"Yes," Hermione said quickly, straightening her shirt. Embarrassed she turned away from me and began to climb the rickety stairs. Ron followed, and then me and the snakes. When we got close to the top, I saw a door. Ron opened it, and we found yourselves in Sirius' hall closet.

"Not a dangerous place, then," Ron said.

"Guess not," I agreed. I opened the front door and allowed the snakes to go outside. They thanked me before disappearing down the street.


	93. Wedding

~*Kara's POV*~

Two weeks had passed since Harry, Ron, and Hermione had come back with the Horcrux, which Harry had destroyed be ordering it to self-destruct in Parseltongue. Ron and Hermione had begun dating, made them fight much less, although they didn't stop completely. But today, all thoughts of teenage love and Horcruxes and Voldemort were pushed to the back of your mind. Today was Remus and Tonks' wedding.

I arrived at the church early with Sirius, who was Remus' best man. I wasn't participating in the wedding, only watching; Tonks and I weren't very close. Mrs. Weasley and Harry sat on either side of me when it was time to begin.

The church was beautiful. The light wood pews were decorated with pink and white roses, and so was the altar. My eyes swept around, glancing at all of the pastel-dressed guests until I saw the bridesmaids filing down the aisle. They were wearing vibrant pink dresses that I was sure had been specially made to match Tonks' hair, and were simple yet elegant. My attention was drawn back to the rear of the church, where Tonks had just entered. She looked beautiful in her flowing white dress, clutching a bouquet of the pink and white roses.

The organist began to play 'Here Comes the Bride' and I smiled, remembering the days when we had planned Lily's wedding, always humming that song. Tonks joined Remus at the altar, where they joined hands, smiling at each other. The ceremony was fairly short, lasting less than a half hour. My favorite part was when they exchanged vows, swearing to love each other forever. Then the justice of the peace pronounced them husband and wife and they shared their first kiss as a married couple.

After the ceremony we all proceeded to the reception area, where a luncheon was being held. I met up with Sirius near the doors of the hall, which was cream colored and very airy.

"You were great," I said quietly as I hugged him.

"Yes, standing there looking handsome was extremely difficult," he joked.

"Yeah, for you it would be," I replied casually.

"Are you saying I'm not handsome?" he asked, pretending to be offended. I laughed.

"Maybe."

"You're just jealous."

"Of what?"

"The fact that I'm better looking than you."

"In your dreams!" I retorted. "Now go sit down." I motioned to the table reserved for the wedding party.

"Where are you sitting?"

"With Harry and the Weasleys." He gave me a quick kiss before you separated, moving toward your respective tables.

The party was lighthearted and fun, the exception being Sirius' best man speech, which was very touching and talked about events from their first year at school up until Harry's third year. I congratulated him on it when he asked me to dance afterward.

"I don't know why everyone is always so surprised," he said as he spun me around. "It's easy to say good things about good people."

Remus and Tonks left for their weeklong honeymoon in the Bahamas as soon as the party wound down. I however, had to start preparing for the start of the school year.


	94. Safety Precautions

September first was a flurry of activity. Harry had to be escorted to the train by the three Aurors who had also been living at Grimmauld Place in order to protect him from harm. Their charge overslept and had to shower, dress, and finish packing in less than fifteen minutes; they didn't depart for King's Cross Station until ten to eleven.

As soon as Harry left I had to scramble to get ready; McGonagall wanted all teachers to report by noon so as to go over new teaching arrangements and rule changes. Today I'd finally find out just how different Hogwarts would be without Professor Dumbledore.

There had actually been talk of closing the school down, but eventually it had been decided that it was best to stay open and teach students how to protect themselves. I was glad; this would give me the opportunity to watch over Harry and instruct him in as much Defense Against the Dark Arts as possible; he'd need it soon.

There had been an Order meeting a few nights previous to the First, and the primary topic was Harry's safety. Without the protection he'd had when living at the Dursleys', he was more vulnerable to attack. Grimmauld Place's Unplottable location and the other enchantments that had been placed on Order Headquarters had helped to keep him safe, but it would be harder to do so at Hogwarts. The time for Voldemort's attack was drawing near; it was agreed that he'd try to take Harry's life before he finished out his seventh year of school. If Voldemort got to him before he was a fully qualified wizard, his chances of murdering Harry increased greatly.

This also made it much more vital to find and destroy the last non-living Horcrux, whatever and wherever it was. Voldemort had to be mortal when Harry faced him, or my godson didn't have a chance.

I shrunk and pocketed your luggage at 11:45. Like Hogwarts, it was now impossible to Apparate or Disapparate in Grimmauld Place, so I stepped outside the house to Apparate to Hogsmeade.

I'd timed the walk perfectly; it was exactly 12:00 when I stepped into the Headmistress' office. The first thing I noticed, aside from how crowded it was and how funny Remus looked with a deep suntan, was the change in the office's décor. The swirling silver instruments and lemon drops were gone, and had been replaced with more sensible items like quills and ink bottles. The more somber, professional feel didn't suit me; for me this had always been Dumbledore's office, even when I attended school instead of teaching it. I scanned the wall of portraits, knowing there would be one more present than there had been last year. I smiled when I found Professor Dumbledore's picture, which was looking back at me. He gave me a wink before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, snoring lightly.

"Welcome everyone," McGonagall said from behind what was now her desk. "Please be seated and we'll begin." I sat in the only empty chair, which was beside Remus.

"How was the honeymoon?" I whispered.

"Very relaxing," he responded from the side of his mouth, his gaze fixed on McGonagall.

"I'm sure it was," I replied, nudging him suggestively. He smiled as McGonagall prepared to speak.

"Change will be rampant this year. We can no longer afford to keep things as they were. We can no longer keep our students safe without making adjustments, many of which may not be desirable or popular." Remus and I exchanged a glance. "First, Hogsmeade trips will be cancelled. There is no way to watch over every student, and therefore the safety of every student cannot be ensured while there. We will hold another social event in place of these visits, as long as there are no costumes or masks involved. No one must be allowed to pass us unidentified. Nighttime patrols will be increased; Aurors will be sent over from the Ministry to assist in guarding the doors and corridors. Club meetings and detentions will take place during the day; all students will need to be in their common rooms by dark. In addition to this rule, a staff member will be in each common room until curfew, which will be promptly at ten o'clock." Professor McGonagall paused to take a few breaths and look at each member of her staff in turn. "Please understand that these rules are not something I'd _like_ to implement. They are necessary, and, although inconvenient, will help to keep everyone out of harm's way." I nodded in agreement with her.

"The Forbidden Forest is one hundred percent forbidden this year; no detentions or lessons may take place there. And Quidditch games-" she stopped short. "I haven't decided yet, actually. As dangerous as they could be, as easy as it would be for someone to attend and cause harm, I am very reluctant to take away what will very likely be the only livelihood the students will experience this year." She once again scanned the room, silently asking for suggestions. Unsure of how to voice my opinion, I raised my hand. "Yes, Ms. O'Connell?" Jeez, I felt like I was in class all over again.

"Practices could take place during daytime hours, and a staff member or two can be present at all times." She nodded in consideration.

"We can try it; but I'm afraid I'll have to cancel the season at the first sign of trouble." I nodded. "There are a number of other minor rule and procedure changes, which should be on your desks. You may review them tonight and ask me any questions you have. Other than that, there is only one issue left to address: that of the vacated Potions job. I have asked someone who is already a member of our staff to take over this position in lieu of finding someone new; we cannot afford to be fooled by an imposter, and this is someone who I trust with all my heart, as many of you do. Professor Lupin as agreed to switch from his Defense Against the Dark Arts position and will now instruct Potions." I turned to him open mouthed.

"You didn't tell me that!" I accused. He shrugged.

"She contacted me while I was on my honeymoon. I didn't want to deal with it right then, or draw attention to myself by telling everyone; I wanted to be left alone for a week."

"I would have been bothering you?"

"I can never tell with you." I smiled in spite of willing yourself not to.

"Well, congratulations. Have fun stirring a cauldron all year."

"I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"Probably not. You're the perfect person to erase the stain Snape put on the subject."

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. So does this mean we don't share an office anymore?"

"I guess so. Which won't be a bad thing. At least I'll get a new desk." I laughed.

"Can't you let that go?" He shook his head.

"Never."


	95. Rules

I as almost out the door when Professor McGonagall called me back in.

"Yes, Professor?" I asked when all of the other teachers had filed out of the office and down the staircase.

"I assume you are aware of the DA," she said. I nodded; Harry's secret Defense Against the Dark Arts group had been uncovered last year. "I was wondering what you thought I should do with it."

"Excuse me?" I didn't quite understand.

"Should I let the meetings continue in secret like we both know they will, or is there another way to let the group continue? I don't want students sneaking through the halls at night to attend club meetings, especially for a club that I believe is a good idea." I nodded as she paused. "I don't want to open it up to the whole school. As sad as it is, we are educating many future Death Eaters. We don't want the other side to be alerted as to what we are practicing." I nodded again, not sure if it was my turn to speak. McGonagall said nothing more, so I assumed it was time to give my opinion.

"Is there a way to have the meetings during the day, with a staff advisor, and pass it off as another club or a remedial class?"

"I suppose. But with students like Mr. Potter and Miss Granger present, it will be tough to pretend that any extra help is needed. Also, I think it best for Mr. Potter to continue running the meetings."

"Nothing would have to change except the time. And," I added, another thought popping into my head. "If we still used the Room of Requirement, no one would be able to get in during meetings anyway."

"Do you think you and Remus could share the responsibilities of presiding over meetings?"

"I don't mind, and I'm pretty sure he won't either." She nodded.

"I'll ask him myself after the feast tonight. Will you alert Mr. Potter of the new arrangements?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Professor."

"You're welcome, Professor," I returned before exiting.

I walked slowly back to your office, contemplating all of the new rules I'd already been told about, and the ones waiting on my desk. It was discouraging to hear off all the restrictions put on the students; Hogsmeade visits and hanging out in the common room at night had been some of my favorite pastimes when I attended Hogwarts, and now they wouldn't get to experience the former, and a staff member would be sitting in the corner of the room while they tried to enjoy the latter. As hard as it was to admit it, however, I believed the changes would help to keep everyone safe. They wouldn't keep everyone happy, but which was more important?

My office looked empty without Remus' desk and chair there. Sir Cadogan's portrait was also absent. There was a manila folder on my desk, just as I'd been told to expect. Falling into my comfortable desk chair, I opened the folder and began to read.

All passageways to and from the school were to be blocked off.

Everything, including the library, would be closed after dark.

The staff member in each common room would take attendance at curfew. Any absences were to be immediately reported to Professor McGonagall.

Classes held outside (Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology) would be moved farther from the Forbidden Forest, and inside when possible.

The minor rule changes went on for two pages, detailing every possible scenario of rule infractions and the appropriate punishments as well as safety procedures. Sighing, I closed the folder and placed it back on my desk. It would be hard enough to remember all of these things, much less enforce them.

It was time to go to the feast before I could think much longer on the subject. Most of the staff had already arrived when I entered the Great Hall; I sat between Remus and Professor Sinistra.

"Hey," you greeted Remus.

"Hi."

"How is my favorite Potions Professor doing?"

"A little overwhelmed from all those rules."

"I know. I'm going to have trouble remembering them. I'm thinking of making flashcards, you know, to jog the memory. You can borrow them when I'm done, k?"

"I might pass."

"Your choice. So, how do you think everyone's going to react to you being Snape Jr.?"

"I am not Snape Jr.!" he protested indignantly.

"Yes you are. You're taking his place, therefore you are Snape Jr."

"Then you're Umbridge Jr.," he shot back.

"You know I was only joking, Rem!" He laughed.

"So how's Sirius?" he asked, changing the subject. I shrugged.

"Alright. Busy. They're trying to cut the length of Auror training down by six months, to get more people ready to fight. So he should graduate at Christmastime."

"That's pretty soon. Then maybe he won't be as busy." I smiled.

"I got even busier after I graduated, and we weren't fighting a war then."

"I'm trying to be an optimist here."

"Oh. Sorry. Continue being falsely cheery." He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again.

"I don't have anything else happy to say."

"Sure you do, Rem. How was the honeymoon?"

"I already told you it was relaxing."

"I know. But was it pretty? How hot was it? What did you do?" The students began filing into the Hall before he could answer.

"I'll tell you later," he said.

"Fine."

The feast was much longer than usual; the Sorting Hat's song was lengthy and full of warnings. And McGonagall's speech was packed with the rule changes, some of which were so unpopular that they elicited scattered boos.

After the feast I searched for Harry, finally catching up to him around the corner from Gryffindor Tower.

"Harry!" I called. He turned and walked over to me.

"Yes Professor?"

"You can call me Kara when no one else is around, you know."

"I know."

"Okay. Professor McGonagall has decided that she wants the DA to continue this year. Mostly because she knows you'd do it without permission anyway." Harry smiled. "She wants a staff member to sit in on the meetings. You'll still be in charge and all; the only thing you'll have to clear with the teacher is the time of the meeting. It still needs to be in the Room of Requirement so no one else can get in." He nodded.

"Alright. But who's going to sit in?"

"It will either be me or Remus."

"Great."

"Good night Harry."

"'Night." We both went our separate ways.


	96. Halloween

Although attacks and counterattacks raged throughout the Wizarding world, Hogwarts remained virtually untouched for the first two months of the school year. The new rules made the castle much quieter, especially the common rooms. I remembered Gryffindor Tower being loud and rowdy during my school years, but now that a staff member sat in a corner of the room at all times, the students seemed afraid to act up.

September and October flew by; my free time was minuscule, and most of it was spent poring over books in the library, searching for any clue as to what the Ravenclaw Horcrux was and where it would be. We'd gotten lucky with the locket; Regulus had walked us to the goblet, but we couldn't expect aid this time.

Halloween approached before I knew it. The castle was decorated with festive black and orange streamers, live bats, and glowing jack-o-lanterns. The holiday fell on a Saturday; a dance would be held in the Great Hall in lieu of a Hogsmeade visit. I declined McGonagall's request to chaperone; Saturday was not only Halloween, but also the 20th anniversary of my first date with Sirius.

As he was set to graduate from Auror training at Christmastime, Sirius had been even busier than me, often having to put in long weekend hours at the Ministry. I'd been afraid he wouldn't be able to celebrate our anniversary due to work, so I didn't mention anything. I planned to spend the night in my room with a warm mug or butterbeer and old photo albums. But Wednesday's owl post proved to be a surprising one. A snowy white owl carrying a long stemmed white rose and a ribbon-tied piece of parchment landed at your place.

_Dearest Kara,  
As I'm sure you know, Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of our first date, first dance, and first kiss. I'd be delighted if you'd grace me with your presence on Saturday evening at six p.m. to commemorate the occasion. I hope the Three Broomsticks will be a satisfactory celebratory location; Madame Puddifoot's makes me sick, what with all of the pink, and the hearts, and those damn cupids…Sorry, I got a little off track. I'll see you Saturday at 6.  
I love and miss you,  
Sirius _

I smiled as I read the letter, happy that he'd remembered and made plans. Remus was reading over my shoulder.

"Awww," he cooed sarcastically when he'd finished reading. "That Sirius sure knows how to woo a woman. Look, he swore and everything." I laughed lightly.

"You're just jealous that while I'm on a date, you're stuck here chaperoning a dance. Aren't I write, Mr. Potion's Master?"

"Of course not. I find great joy in supervising these great students." Tiny Professor Flitwick, who was on Remus' other side, snorted incredulously into his coffee.

"Ditto," I said, earning a glare from Remus.

"Really, I don't mind. I remember dances were fun when we went here, and I wouldn't want to deprive anyone of that opportunity. I am happy to take part in a longstanding Hogwarts tradition."

"You keep telling yourself that, Remie." I patted his back pityingly. "Did ol' Tonksie turn you down for a date or something?" He shook his head.

"You know how busy they are over at the Ministry. She's going to be there most of the weekend; they're used to extra mischief around this time of year anyway."

"So poor Remus is going to be stuck in his room all alone all weekend, without a wife to take care of him?"

"Basically, although somehow I think I'll survive."

"Well, if you've forgotten to cook or anything, you know where to find me."

"I'll remember that."

I was antsy for Saturday to come, so of course the week crept by at a snail's pace. But Saturday finally dawned bright and early. The sky was clear, with only a few wispy white clouds interrupting the endless blue horizon. I hopped out of bed and showered quickly, unable to slow down although I repeatedly reminded myself that I didn't have to leave the castle until 5:30 that night.

I wasted away the day, dividing my time between skimming books and listening to music, grading the occasional paper but not getting much accomplished. My clock finally chimed 5:00 and I jumped up to get ready. I changed into a blue Indian style skirt and a white blouse, and threw my hair up into a messy bun. I swiped lip gloss across my lips and slipped into a pair of shoes, finishing my preparation just at 5:30.

I didn't rush on my way to the village, instead taking the time to enjoy the crisp autumn night. In a few weeks the chill would turn to a bitter cold and I'd be huddled inside the warm castle for the entire winter, so it was nice to enjoy one of the last agreeable nights of the year. A light breeze teased the flowing fabric of my skirt so it swirled gently around me as I walked. The lights of Hogsmeade were visible through the trees after about twenty minutes, and my view of the village was unblocked at five minutes to six. The town was half empty; dusk was beginning to fall and no one wanted to be caught outside after dark. Most of the remaining pedestrians were hurrying home as I entered the pub.

I scanned the brightly lit restaurant quickly, my eyes eventually resting on Sirius in the back right corner. He was wearing a black button down shirt and black pants, and his gray eyes sparkled with warmth as I approached. He stood up to pull out my chair and kissed me quickly on the lips.

"Hey," he greeted me.

"Hey."

"Happy anniversary."

"Thanks. You too." I settled into my seat.

"So how's your week been?" he asked.

"Busy. Between classes and chaperoning common rooms and looking through the entire Hogwarts library, I've barely got time to blink."

"I know how you feel. I haven't gotten home before midnight once this week, and I've always got assignments to do before I can go to sleep."

"And then you have to wake up at 5:30 and start again," I added sympathetically, recalling my own long-ago experience with Auror training.

"And I tell myself it's over in a couple of months, but then I realize it's going to get worse. Tonks is stuck there all weekend." I nodded.

"Remus told me. Poor guy hardly ever gets to see his wife."

"I hardly ever get to see my girlfriend. Do you feel bad for me?"

"Of course. She's so great I pity anyone who can't be around her 24/7." He let out his barking laugh, causing the rest of the diners to look over to our table. I ignored their glances, too happy to be with Sirius to care that he was disturbing them.

"Not that I don't think you're amazing, love, but I might feel just a tad bit sorry for anyone who had to be around you _all the time _."

"I'd be a lot more than a tad bit sorry for them. I can't even stand myself sometimes." He laughed again, throwing his head back, before becoming serious.

"I do wish I could see you more often. It's been what, a week and a half?"

"Too long, I know. You could visit me up at school but you're always working and I'm always sitting in a corner reading."

"We'll have to think of something."

"I agree."

"So there's a dance tonight?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yeah, in place of a Hogsmeade visit. Not that there's much left to do down here anyway." With business so lacking, about half of the once prosperous shops had boarded their windows shut in the past year.

"Diagon Alley's starting to look the same. Fortescue's still missing, and so is Mr. Ollivander. No one else has disappeared, but their profits have." I nodded sadly.

"What can I get you two tonight?" I looked up at the sound of Rosmerta's voice.

"Hey Rosie," Sirius greeted, his cheerful manner much different from the solemn one he'd been using just seconds ago. "Long time, no see."

"Well then you'll just have to come around here more often," she retorted with a smile.

"You know I'd never stay away if I had a choice."

"That's right, you're a busy guy. Finishing up soon?"

"Middle of December."

"I suspect you'll be even busier after that." He nodded.

"Probably."

"But you still found time to take Kara out for Halloween." I smiled.

"Of course. Tonight is our 20th anniversary."

"No way," she said. "It's been that long since you two came in here with school? I feel so old."

"We don't feel any better," I consoled her. She shrugged.

"We'll get over it, right? So what'll it be?" We gave our orders and she left to serve someone else.

"I can't believe it's been twenty years," I said after a short, comfortable silence.

"Me either. It feels like so much longer, but so much shorter."

"I know. It seems like just yesterday we were at the Halloween dance. I can remember every second of that night."

"I still remember your dress. Merlin, that thing had me staring." I laughed.

"Time's gone so fast."

"Too fast." Rosmerta brought out our meals and we began to eat them in silence.

"Sirius?" I said suddenly. "Have we gotten boring?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, have we gotten boring? All we talk about is work. All we do is work. And then we sleep. Sometimes." He considered it for a moment.

"I guess you're right." He grimaced. "I don't want to be boring. At least not yet."

"Me either."

"So what do we do? There must be some way to de-boring ourselves."

"Maybe we're too boring to think of it."

"You're looking at the greatest prankster to ever attend Hogwarts. I will never be too boring." I smiled.

"Then come up with something, Mr. Marauder."

"I will." He looked around in thought. "I have an idea," he announced a minute later.

"What is it?" He shook his head.

"I can't tell."

"Why not?"

"Because." I pouted.

"Don't you love me?"

"Of course I do. But I'm still not going to tell you."

"Fine."

"Hurry up and eat. This is a really good idea." I obliged, shoving food into my mouth faster.

"I'm done. This better be worth it."

"Don't get mad if it's not." I groaned.

"That means it's not!"

"No it doesn't. Let's go."

"Okay."


	97. In the Ravenclaw Commonroom

Sunday morning was quiet. The dance had gone on until midnight, and it had taken the staff almost two hours to get everyone into their common rooms and settled down. Less than a third of the students were in the Great Hall when I entered for breakfast. I sat down next to Remus, who was yawning loudly and very often.

"Long night?" I asked, startling him from his stupor. He nodded wearily in response to my question before yawning again.

"What time did you get in?" he asked I.

"Around 11:30."

"Why didn't you stop by the dance?"

"I didn't want to have to chaperone."

"So what did you two do that got you back so late?"

"11:30's not that late," I disagreed.

"The Three Broomsticks closes at 10. So that leaves you with over an hour of free time."

"I'm glad to see you can tell time." He rolled his eyes.

"It's a talent I've actually possessed for a while now."

"Congratulations."

"Was your night so boring that you're embarrassed to tell me?" I started laughing. "What?" He paled. "You didn't have sex on my desk again, did you?"

"Maybe," I shrugged.

"Oh no."

"I'm just kidding Remus. We-" my words were cut off by another fit of laughter.

"You what? Come on Kara, I'm starting to get scared now."

"We played Ding Dong Ditch!" I said gleefully.

"What's that?"

"It's a Muggle game. Actually it's more like a prank. You know how Muggle houses have doorbells? You-" I paused for a laugh. "You ring it, and then run away before they answer it!" Remus stared blankly at me for a minute.

"Are you serious?" he asked finally. I nodded. "You actually sought out a Muggle neighborhood, rang a doorbell, and dove into bushes before they saw you?" I nodded again and he burst out laughing. I waited patiently for him to finish, pretty sure he wasn't laughing with me.  
"That may be the most pathetic thing I've ever heard," he said once his fit was over.

"Thanks, Rem."

"What are you, ten?"

"Do I look ten to you?"

"What did you do after Ding Dong Ditch? Play on toy broomsticks?"

"No."

"Oh right, I forgot. Muggle games were the theme right? Let me guess: hopscotch? Jump rope?"

"Sex on your desk," I added.

"I don't believe you," he said.

"Okay, it wasn't on your desk," I capitulated.

"I know. Because if you had even tried, you would have been stopped."

"Stopped?"

"I located a charm," he said smugly.

"A charm that prevents people from shagging on desks?"

"Not just desks, any surface in general."

"And you call me pathetic." He opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out. "That's what I thought."

The second week of November was coming to a close with me supervising the Ravenclaw common room. It was the easiest to watch over because so many people were reading or studying, but it was a guaranteed dull night. I'd forgotten my book in my room, so I looked around for something to do. An entire wall of the blue and silver room was dedicated to a dark wooden bookcase. I meandered over and skimmed titles. A section of makeshift scrapbooks caught my eye, and I pulled one out.

A collection of Daily Prophet articles were neatly taped onto the pages. The edition I was perusing looked to be dated just before Voldemort's formal rise to power. Mysterious disappearances and murders dominated the headlines. Interested, I took the scrapbook back to my chair in the corner and began to read.

A lot of them were familiar; I recalled the people or the places or how much talk had followed the event. Some of the murder victims were friends or acquaintances. I didn't know why I was letting this awful time in my life come back to me, but I continued flipping the pages, seeing the terror mount with each new article. Finally I came to one that made my jaw drop.

_RAVENCLAW'S SPECS DISAPPEAR FROM MUSEUM_

LONDON- The Museum of Magical Artifacts and Relics, or MMAR, has been in an uproar since it was discovered that the glasses of Rowena Ravenclaw, one of Hogwarts' four founders, were missing. A security guard was making his rounds early yesterday morning and noticed that the glass case made to hold Ravenclaw's glasses was empty. The MMAR was immediately shut down and searched, but to no avail.

The last time the glasses were seen was late Thursday night at closing time. 

_Theft is suspected. Anyone who has information about the thief or where the glasses are now is urged to contact Jenny Knight at the Auror Department._ __

Ravenclaw's glasses were the only relic the MMAR had of Hogwarts' founders. Without them CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 

I flipped rapidly through the rest of the scrapbook; there was no article announcing that the glasses had been recovered. Neither was there mention of catching the thief.

Voldemort would have been clever enough to steal those glasses without getting caught. And he had an infatuation with well-known objects…

A satisfied grin took over my face. I'd just found out what the fifth Horcrux was. Now all that was left was the hard part: to locate and destroy it.

Harry was in my Monday morning NEWT class. I made a mental note to reveal my discovery to him once class was over. The lesson was on Anti-Apparition fields, which was a mostly pointless topic because since we couldn't Apparate inside Hogwarts anyway, I couldn't teach the spell. I droned on about the pros and cons for half the period before allowing everyone to start their homework. The bell finally rang, and I called to your godson.

"Mr. Potter, I need to see you for a moment." He packed his books up slowly and waited until every student had left before approaching your desk. I wordlessly handed him the article, which I'd surreptitiously stolen from the scrapbook. His eyes scanned the paper quickly.

"Number five," he stated.

"I thought so too." He looked down once more and focused on the picture.

"These are them?" I nodded and his eyes widened. "I've seen these before."


	98. Middle of the Night

He looked down once more and focused on the picture. "I've seen these before."

Harry hadn't told me where he'd seen the glasses. He did take the article from me, walking dazedly out of my classroom.

The clock next to my bed read 3:00 a.m. when I heard the pounding. Groggily, I sat up and rubbed my eyes, looking around for the source of the noise. Then I heard Professor McGonagall's voice from the other side of my portrait.

"Miss O'Connell! Miss O'Connell! Let me in you ridiculous painting! I need to-" she stopped abruptly when I opened the portrait from the inside. The sight of Minerva in her bathrobe unnerved me; if the headmistress hadn't taken time to get dressed before coming to wake me up, then something serious must have been going on.

"What is it?" I asked worriedly, my tongue thick with sleep.

"It's Harry," she replied.

"What about him? Is he okay?" my eyebrows were furrowed in concern as I tried not to get too worked up.

"I'm not sure," she replied carefully. "He's in the Hospital Wing. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley brought him in about a half hour ago. He was unconscious, but now he's mumbling all sorts of strange things, and Madame Pomfrey can't seem to wake him." Her lips were in the thinnest line I'd ever seen them, and her eyes were wide with worry.

"Let's go." I walked briskly down to the Hospital Wing, urging myself not to break out into a full run. And although I told myself to calm down, that everything would be alright, I couldn't believe it. This had something to do with the glasses. And if another one of Voldemort's Horcruxes had weakened Dumbledore, then this one could certainly harm Harry. _Or kill him. _

The dimmed Hospital Wing was eerie; the plain white beds, with even whiter sheets wrapped securely around them, gave off a strange glow. Every single one was empty except for the solitary cot that my godson occupied. His tufts of jet-black hair stood out, but his face blended into the pale background of hospital white. His agonized moans shattered the silence; the desperate headshakes and frightened tossing and turning were the only motion in the otherwise stagnant room.

Madame Pomfrey emerged from her tiny box of a back office and into the infirmary, which somehow seemed the more claustrophobic of the two.

"I can't figure it out," she said without greeting. "I've tried everything probable, but he just keeps getting worse. He looks as though he's only having a nightmare, but I can't wake him up."

"Poppy," I began quietly, "there's no chance of death, is there?"

"Not immediately, I don't think. But I can't be certain since I don't know what's causing this." She was wringing her hands anxiously, and I realized that this was probably the first time she'd failed to diagnose a patient.

"Have you alerted St. Mungo's?" Minerva asked, never taking her eyes off of the black hair that seemed to be lying in bed alone.

"They're sending over a team of Healers," she responded. As she gave Minerva the details I approached Harry's bed.

He looked even worse up close. His eyes moved frantically behind closed lids, following some disturbing scene visible only to him. A three-set of long scratches decorated his pallid face, bumpy red on smooth white. His own glasses were perched on the table next to him, watching their owner with invisible eyes. It was the pair that I was looking for that was absent.

"Minerva? Has anyone talked to Ron and Hermione?" I questioned. She shook her head.

"Poppy sent them off to bed. Maybe you should fetch them back here, in case they have any information for the Healers." With a quick nod of agreement I exited the Hospital Wing and rushed up to Gryffindor Tower.

Ron and Hermione were seated on the couch closest to the fire, talking hurriedly in hushed whispers. They looked up when I entered and immediately began to ask questions. I quieted them down by holding up my hand.

"Madame Pomfrey can't seem to wake him up. A few Healers from St. Mungo's are coming, and Professor McGonagall wants you two to be there when they arrive to answer any questions they may have." They nodded silently. "Before we go back down, I need you two to tell me exactly what happened. He went looking for the glasses, didn't he?"

"They were in the Room of Requirement!" Hermione said. "Last year, Harry needed a place to hide his Potions book, and there was this room that had all sorts of things stashed away by people before, and when you showed him the picture I guess he remembered seeing them there, and so he told us, and we went, and opened the room, and-"

"Hermione, you can slow down." She had said all of that in one breath and seemed on the verge of a panic attack.

"Sorry." She took a breath and picked up the story. "So we went into the room, and he led us through a bunch of alleyways, all piled high with different things. We finally got to the place he'd hidden his textbook-"

"Why did he need to hide his Potions book?" I asked, confused. Hermione looked flustered.

"That doesn't really matter now, right? It was last year. So we got to this large cupboard, and inside there was a cage with bones in it, really disgusting, but anyway, on _top_ of the cupboard, Harry had put a bust of some old wizard, to remember where he'd put his book. And he'd added a wig and a tiara to make it more recognizable. It was quite comical, actually. But on the wizard's face, there was this old pair of dusty glasses. They were golden, and had badgers on the rims just like the picture.

"So Harry took them off and we tried to break them. When we couldn't snap them in half, we tried using other things around, like a hammer, and a rusted sword. Harry wanted to try using this positively gruesome bloodstained axe, but I convinced him not to. And so we couldn't decide what to do with them, since obviously they couldn't break. And then Ron said, 'Why don't you put them on,' and Harry said 'Why didn't I think of that?'

"And so he put them on, and suddenly it was like he wasn't with us anymore. I mean, he was still there physically, but mentally, I don't know. He started talking to himself, and looking around strangely, and he didn't seem to hear when Ron and I called his name. This went on for a really long time. I'm not sure _exactly_ how long, because there wasn't a clock around. Well there was, but it was broken. The springs were sticking out and everything, and-"

"Hermione. We really don't have much time."

"I know. Sorry, I'm just trying to remember anything that could help, and-and- I'm really worried!" She burst out into tears. Ron pulled her into a hug and she cried on his shoulder. "You tell the rest, Ron! I just can't!"

"Right, well, as Hermione said, he was acting strangely. Like he was possessed or something. I dunno. So after a while we were getting really worried, and we decided to try to take the glasses off. So we did, and that's when things got even worse. He started to groan in pain, like he does when his scar hurts real bad. He was mumbling all sorts of crazy things-"

"Like what?"

"Like what?" he repeated your question. "I don't know. Something about Sirius, I think at one point. And he kept saying 'mum', too. But that's all that I could really make out." I nodded.

"So you two took him right to the Hospital Wing?"

"Well, not exactly. We wanted to see if we could wake him up ourselves. So we shook him and tried calling his name again, really just hoping he'd wake up. Then he fell to his knees, and then he started seizing on the floor, sort of, and so we _Wingardium Leviosa'd_ him to the Hospital Wing."

"Where are the glasses?"

"What?"

"The glasses. Where are they? Did you two take them, or are they still in the Room of Requirement?"

"No, they're right here." Hermione drew the glasses out from her pocket and handed them to me. I inspected them quickly and noticed several dents on the bridge, as though they had been hit with a hammer or a rusted sword.

"Let's go." They followed me out of the common room and back to the Hospital Wing.

In sharp contrast to when I'd left, the Hospital Wing was now lit brightly by hundreds of candles, and three Healers bustled about doing various tasks. Madame Pomfrey was talking to one by Harry's bedside, and Professor McGonagall looked on from a chair in the corner. She stood up when she noticed your presence.

"What took you so long to get back?" she asked anxiously. "Never mind that now. They've found out what's wrong. It's not good, but they think he's going to pull through."

"They _think_?" I repeated. "Who's going to explain this all to me?" At that moment one of the Healers, a tall, salt-and-pepper haired man with the name Chris stitched onto his robes, approached me.

"Miss O'Connell?" I nodded. "I'm Chris. I work in the Dangerous Curses ward at St. Mungo's."

"That's great. What's wrong with my godson?"

"It seems that Harry has had a sort of modified Imperius curse placed on him, which occurs only by a specific sort of contact with an inanimate object."

"What do you mean by a specific sort of contact?" He cleared his throat and I braced myself for a lengthy explanation.

"An extremely powerful Dark wizard is actually capable of bewitching an object to trick a person into doing what the wizard wants, or altering their mind in another way. It looks as though Mr. Potter has had a run-in with one of these objects, and it's making him believe he's somewhere else. That's why he's been mumbling and making a lot of movements. He's interacting with the people in this alternate reality that the curse has tricked him into believing."

"So?"

"So what? That's all there is to it."

"So how do you fix him?" He gave you a nervous smile.

"Well, see that's the thing. There's no definitive way into 'fixing' people under the influence of this curse. When the curse is being used to control their minds directly, by forcing them to act in a way they wouldn't, then the object that the curse resides in needs to be destroyed. But in Mr. Potter's case, the object usually can't be destroyed until the person wakes up. It's getting them to wake up that's the problem."

"You're a Healer. It's your job to make people wake up. You're telling me that neither you nor anyone else at St. Mungo's knows how to override the curse?"

"Now, now, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that _at the moment_, we are still trying to figure out what to do about this. Cases like this don't come in all the time. It's very rare."

"Great. Do you even have a theory?" I asked hopefully. He shook his head.

"All the signs say it's something he'll eventually snap out of."

"Eventually?" He nodded.

"As soon as the curse runs out. And before you ask, we're not sure how long that is." He walked away before I could get another word in.

"This is ridiculous!" I grumbled. "I'm going to the library. Maybe I'll figure something out before they do." Minerva nodded and I left, swearing to myself. I hadn't gotten far when I heard a bloodcurdling scream: Harry's. Worried, I reentered the Hospital Wing for a third time. This time, however, Harry was sitting up, and his eyes were open.

Sweat glistened on his forehead, and he panted to catch his breath. His pupils danced frantically over the room, as though everyone and everything were unfamiliar. His eyes locked with mine for a fleeting moment before he collapsed back onto the bed. The Healers crowded around him, but I pushed them back.

"I'm going to assume you still don't know what's happening, so if you'll excuse me I'd like to speak with my godson. Thanks." Harry stared wearily up at me.

"What happened?" he croaked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"The glasses...I put them on...everything changed...I'm so tired." He spoke in short gasps.

"Sleep. We'll talk tomorrow." He was asleep by the time you'd finished your sentence. I turned back to the Healers. "Does this mean that the curse is broken?" They nodded. "Good."

The sky was beginning to lighten by the time I arrived back in my room. While navy gave way to cerulean as the sun approached the horizon, preparing to light up the day, I lay in bed and drifted off to sleep.


	99. Explanations

I groaned when my alarm clock beeped at seven o'clock. Reluctantly, I rolled out of bed and shut it off, giving my ears reprieve from the piercing blips. After a quick cold shower to startle myself awake, I trudged down to breakfast.

"What happened last night?" Remus asked without greeting when I sat down. I gave him a large yawn in response. "Come on, Kara. McGonagall said Harry's in the Hospital Wing and won't talk to anybody."

"He found the Horcrux last night. It was a pair of Ravenclaw's glasses."

"But Aurors are stationed at all the doors and passageways. How did he get out of the castle without any of them knowing?"

"He didn't. The glasses were in the castle. In the Room of Requirement." His jaw dropped.

"Really?"

"No, I'm joking," I said sarcastically. "Yes, really." I explained what Ron and Hermione had told me, and the Healers' thoughts on what the glasses had done to Harry. "I'm going to go see him during lunch," I finished.

"Let's hope you can get him to talk. He wouldn't tell any of the Healers, or McGonagall, what he saw." I sighed.

The morning crawled by. I listlessly tried to teach my lessons, mixing up Inferi and vampires twice before giving my third years a study hall for the rest of the class. Which, of course, only made time go slower, as my only distraction from the clock's sluggish movement was surreptitiously making quills float a few inches above my desk. The bell to end my last class finally rang, and I waited impatiently for all of my students to leave before dashing down to the Hospital Wing to see Harry.

He was sitting up against some pillows, his eyes sunken in and expressionless. Madame Pomfrey was setting out some juice and crackers for him to eat, but he didn't look in the least bit interested.

"Hey," I greeted in a forced cheerful voice, pulling up a chair next to his bed. He did nothing to acknowledge my presence. "Harry? Please talk to me." He shook his head. "You don't have to tell me what happened. Just say _something_ so I know you can." He turned his head to look at me.

"I don't want to talk about it," he croaked.

"So you can speak! Are you hungry? Those crackers sure do look appetizing." He raised his eyebrows skeptically. The crackers did look a bit stale. "I'll bet they taste better than they look."

"I'll bet they don't."

"You won't know until you try."

"Then I guess I'll never know."

"So you still have your sense of humor. That's a good sign. Is there anyone you do want to talk to?" He shook his head. I heard the door open but ignored it. "How about Sirius? I can owl him and he'll be here in no time."

"I'm way ahead of you, love." I turned around and saw Sirius striding over to Harry and I, smirking at my surprised face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, more forcefully than I meant to.

"Am I not welcome?"

"Of course you are. I meant to ask how you knew to come."

"McGonagall owled me about an hour ago. She said Harry needed me, but she couldn't say more than that in a letter. So what's going on?" I explained the events that had led to Harry's hospitalization, while both Harry and Sirius listened intently.

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry asserted as soon as I was finished.

"I didn't ask you to," Sirius replied.

"You were just about to."

"Harry, if you don't want to talk just yet, that's fine. I can be patient. But whatever you saw in those glasses could be very important when you need to face Voldemort, even if you don't realize it."

"It won't be. It's impossible." The hurt in his voice made me wince. Sirius glanced over at me, concern and confusion in his eyes. I just shrugged.

"Whatever you saw, it's obviously bothering you. You're sure there's nobody you'd feel comfortable talking to about it?"

"I don't want to talk; I want to forget. Please, just let me try to forget." Tears dropped slowly from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks; he didn't bother to wipe them away.

Sirius and I stood there watching him for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. Finally, we turned and began to walk out, but Harry asked a question that stopped us in our tracks.

"Do you think my parents hate me?" His voice was small and unsure, like he was upset for even asking.

"Where the hell did you get an idea like that?" Sirius asked, turning back and looking at his godson with bewilderment. He didn't answer, only looked down at the white sheets surrounding him. I elbowed Sirius sharply, preventing him from making Harry feel any worse.

"From the glasses?" I suggested gently. He nodded slightly, and then opened his mouth to speak.

"When I first put them on, everything became really blurry, and then it all started to spin. I tried to pull the glasses off but everything spun faster, and then I couldn't see anything. I blinked a few times, and then I could suddenly see everything around me, bright and clear. But I wasn't in the Room of Requirement anymore. I was in a house, in a bed. A lady knocked on the door and told me to get up for breakfast. I was still really confused so I didn't move. Then she came in, and it was my mum."

"Lily?" I clarified. He nodded.

"I guess I was staring, because she asked if she had something on her face. So I got up and got dressed-she had clothes picked out for me-and I went downstairs. My dad was sitting at the table, reading the paper. He and my mum were laughing about something. He said good morning when he saw me, and handed me the Quidditch section of the paper. I guess we liked Puddlemere, because he kept talking about what a shame it was that they lost to the Cannons, and how disappointing it all was. Mum served pancakes, and we all ate. I was signed up for a Quidditch camp, and mum was taking me the next morning; she kept saying how we had to spend the day together because she was going to miss me so much."

"So how did you get the idea that they hate you?" Sirius asked. I elbowed him again.

"Let him get there," I hissed.

"Sorry. Go on, Harry."

"I'll get to the point, I guess. I forgot that they weren't real. My parents, I mean, and everything else. After breakfast it was like everything was normal. Like it would have been if they were alive. Dad went to work and mum took me for lunch and ice cream. We both liked mint chocolate chip. Was that really her favorite?" I nodded. "See? Everything was exactly how it should have been. Dad came home for dinner, and after we listened to a Quidditch game on the radio, and he played a prank on mum."

"What did he do?" Sirius asked.

"Made all the pots and pans squirt water and bubbles in her face. She got soaked. She tried to pretend she was mad, but it didn't really work. We all seemed really happy. I know I was, at least. Mum sent me upstairs to pack for Quidditch camp, and so I did. When I went back downstairs, everything had changed again. The house wasn't the same. Everything was black: the walls, the furniture, the windows had black curtains, everything…Except, there were white flowers scattered everywhere. Those ones they always have at funerals. My mum and dad were sitting on the couch, in all black, and they were glaring at me. I asked what was wrong, and mum asked if I'd had a nice day. I said I had, and she said 'It could have always been like this, if it wasn't for you.' I asked her what she meant, and my dad answered for her, because she was too busy glowering. He said that it was my fault they were dead, and my mum wished that she hadn't stood in front of me and saved me, and that if it weren't for me they'd be alive and happy."

"Harry,-" I began, but he cut me off.

"I'm not done. They kept insulting me, telling me how even if they had lived, I was the worst son they could have asked for, and they felt bad for the Dursleys for having to take me in. I tried to turn around and go back to my room, but the stairs were closed off, and the only way I could have gone was down. The flowers all turned deep red, and dad said it was my fault that you got put in Azkaban, and mum told me that if I had just died to begin with then Cedric and Dumbledore would have lived."

"Harry, you know that's not true, yeah?" Sirius asked. Harry didn't respond. "Harry! You can't honestly believe all of this. First of all, your parents loved you more than life itself. That's why Lily tried to protect you; that's why you're alive today. She wouldn't have ever regretted that decision. And if you had died that night, not only would Cedric and Dumbledore still most likely be dead, but your parents would be, too. They died before you were saved, and even if they hadn't Voldemort would have become stronger and killed them later on. He would have killed us all eventually."

"I know. The only way I got back to reality was by believing it wasn't true. But I felt guilty for going along with it in the first place. Like you would be disappointed that I would think it was true."

"You were upset, and confused. Voldemort's no idiot; I'm sure he meant for whoever put those glasses on to witness their worst nightmare. First the happiness you've always been denied was given to you, and then it was ripped away and you were insulted and blamed for the deaths of people you love. It's not easy, I know. You're allowed to be a little misguided. But you know now that your parents loved you, and would never want you to feel guilty, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks Sirius."

"You're welcome. You should get some rest; you look pretty worn out."

"I will. I'm glad you came."

"Me, too. I'll see you soon." Harry closed his eyes, and Sirius and I got up and left the Hospital Wing.

"That Horcrux was pretty twisted," I said.

"I haven't seen you in a long time," he remarked, disregarding your statement.

"You've been busy," I shrugged.

"I'm not busy now." I smiled.

"Well, my room isn't too far away from here."

"Whatever would we do in your room, Kara?"

"I was thinking you could help me dust."

"Dust?"

"Yeah. I've been letting it get really out of hand. And if we finish quickly enough, you could clean my bathroom, too."

"I have another idea."

"Do you? What is it?"

"It's a secret."

"If you can't tell me, then how do I know if I want to participate or not?"

"It's not a secret from _you_, it's a secret from your students. You wouldn't want them to know about what I had in mind."

"If you can't tell me, I guess you'll have to show me." He leaned in to kiss me. "But it'll have to be later; I have a class in ten minutes." He sighed disappointedly. "Sirius. Get over it. You're the one that hasn't come to visit in almost two weeks. I know you're busy, but come on. I waited fourteen days; you can wait three hours." He wrapped an arm around my waist.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around a lot. Work's been crazy, but I'll make more time for you. I promise."

"Okay. I forgive you. Wait in my room; I'll be there as soon as I can."

I entered my room after my last class to find Sirius spread out on my bed, asleep. I grappled with whether to wake him up or let him be, eventually decided that my needs were more important than his sleep, and gently shook him awake. He smiled lazily up at me as he stretched.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hi." He sat up and kissed me deeply.

"I love you," he whispered later that night as we lay in my bed.

"I love you, too," I murmured into his shoulder before drifting off to sleep.


	100. A Surprising Twist

"Everyone settle down please, so we can start!" Moody's voice cut harshly through the various conversations in the room. McGonagall's office was crowded with Order members assembled for a meeting; it wasn't safe enough to leave the school shorthanded while so many teachers went to Grimmauld Place. The room quieted down and Moody continued.

"An important development has come about, which needs to be addressed immediately. This Monday night Harry found and destroyed the last of Voldemort's non-living Horcruxes." He paused to let everyone absorb the information. "He now has a chance to kill Voldemort, as long as we get to his snake, which Dumbledore believed was the last Horcrux, first. The time for the Final Battle is fast approaching. The question we need to answer tonight is this: do we wait for an attack, or do we control the time and place?"

"How do you propose we 'control the time and place'?" Bill asked from his seat in the back beside Fleur.

"That, my friends, is another question we need to address tonight."

"Alastor, why don't you just tell us your plan?" Sirius asked.

"I thought you'd never ask! I think the best way we can handle this situation is to get it over with as quickly as possible. Harry's almost done with school, and Kara's been tutoring him on the side; he's as ready as he's going to be. And the only thing that changes with the wait is the number of followers Voldemort gains. His numbers will grow as he terrorizes and tricks more and more families into joining him. The seventh years in the DA can help us if they're willing; with them the sides become nearly equal. Add in the Aurors who aren't in the Order and we've got the advantage." Moody looked around the room, waiting for someone to agree or disagree with his plan.

"It sounds logical," I admitted. "And I know that I, for one, am getting tired of waiting around and wondering when Voldemort's going to make a move."

"Just because it's logical doesn't mean it's safe!" Molly cried. "Harry's still in school; he's so _young_, and so are all of the other seventh years."

"Whether we like it or not, the Battle is drawing nearer. Harry will be young either way, as will some of those who choose to help us. I know you want to protect him, but you're trying to shield him from something he will eventually need to face. I agree with Alastor; we need to try and set the terms for this unavoidable meeting." Professor McGonagall turned to Moody and continued. "I assume you figured out that Hogwarts would be the ideal place?"

"I don't think there was ever any doubt," he replied. "But we'll need to get the younger students away safely."

"Wait, how soon are we talking here?" Tonks asked. It was McGonagall who answered her.

"Within the next few weeks, I believe. Just long enough to prepare and get the students out."

"Is Harry okay with this?" Fred inquired. All eyes turned to Sirius, who could only shrug.

"I haven't exactly asked him how quickly he'd like to attempt to kill the most powerful Dark wizard of our time," he said with a hint of sarcasm. "But I think he's ready, both mentally and skills-wise." Moody nodded solemnly.

"So we're all agreed?" Molly looked like she was desperately trying to come up with a reason why this wasn't a good idea, but said nothing.

"Okay then. One more question: how do we contact the Dark Lord?" Before Moody's question could be answered, a hooded figure flung itself into the office. Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was closest to the door, jumped up and grabbed the person.

"Who are you?" he demanded to know, reaching for the person's hood.

"Please don't hurt me until I explain," came the voice from underneath. Kingsley ripped the hood down to reveal an intimidated Draco Malfoy. Within a second, Kingsley had the boy forced down into a chair, and was pointing his wand at his throat.

"I should kill you right now," Kingsley growled. McGonagall hastily stood up.

"But you won't!" She turned to Draco. "Explain," she instructed sternly, her lips so thin they were almost nonexistent. He nodded, and took a few steadying breaths before speaking.

"Snape. He didn't kill Dumbledore. I mean, he did, but-but he didn't want to. He-"

"Do you really expect us to believe that?" Sirius spat. "I know what's coming next. 'He didn't want to, but think what Voldemort would have done if he hadn't.'" Draco winced at Voldemort's name, and Sirius looked satisfied.

"That's not what I was going to say. I was going to say-Dumbledore asked him to."

"What?" I heard the entire room voice the same question at once.

"I'm not lying!" he jumped back in before he could be accused. "He said, that Dumbledore said, that he was dying from the potion anyway, and-"

"What potion?" Bill asked.

"The potion he drank in the cave with Potter. And it was painful; he could feel his strength and power ebbing away, and knew it wouldn't be long before he died anyway. So he asked Snape to kill him, to save me."

"But-"

"But he never said anything," Draco cut off McGonagall's observation. "I know. He used Occlumency." He waited while everyone thought it out. Both Snape and Dumbledore were accomplished, talented Oclumens, and it was possible for an entirely silent exchange to have gone on between them in the span of only a few seconds. But I couldn't take the word of a teenager with a Dark Mark on his arm.

"We can't trust you," I said, staring Draco straight in the eye.

"I know," he whispered.

"I could look into his mind," Remus offered. "I'm not great at it, though."

"No," Moody argued. "I'll do it. And then we'll give him a big dose of Veritaserum to verify the results." Without waiting for consent, he concentrated on Draco's cranium and began to search his memories.

I scanned the room as I waited. Sirius' profile was tense and angry beside me; he hated the idea that Snape might have actually been on the Order's side. Next to Sirius, Tonks' neon head rested tenderly on Remus' shoulder. Mrs. Weasley was anxiously bouncing her leg up and down, waiting for the results, while Mr. Weasley looked at her leg as though he longed to clamp a hand down on it to stop its perpetual motion. Mundungus Fletcher had his hands in his pockets, which were extra deep to serve as better transporters of stolen goods. Before I could observe anyone else, Moody stepped back, perplexed.

"I'll take the Veritaserum now," Draco asserted, his gaze never leaving Moody's. After a moment of silent, intense staring, Moody nodded and pulled a flask out of his pocket. He thrust it out and Draco took a large gulp. After giving it a moment to sink in, Moody began the questioning.

"What is your name?"

"Draco Evan Malfoy."

"Who are your parents?"

"Lucius and Narcissa."

"Why did you come back here tonight?"

"To tell the truth."

"What is the truth."

"Snape was innocent."

"Where is the Dark Lord?"

"I don't know."

"Why not?"

"After he killed Dumbledore, Snape took me into hiding. The Dark Lord was not pleased that I failed to complete my task, and Snape had sworn to protect me."

"Where did you go?"

"The countryside. We stayed in a Muggle cottage."

"Where is Snape now?"

"Dead." I saw Sirius' eyes bug in your peripheral vision and knew my own must be doing the same.

"How?"

"The Dark Lord found us. He and some Death Eaters stormed into the house. Snape distracted them long enough for me to Apparate to Hogsmeade."

"Do you support the Dark Lord?"

"No. I never did. My father made me get my Dark Mark."

"Do you not have a will of your own?" Draco's response was a bitter laugh.

"Even the strongest person can only endure a certain number of Cruciatus Curses and whippings before their will crumbles." Moody looked back to McGonagall, who mouthed 'enough'. He nodded and fell silent. The room stayed that way; the only sound was the ticking of the clock as everyone tried to process what had been learned. It was a quarter of an hour before Draco began to groan as the potion wore off and he lapsed back into consciousness.

"So it's settled then," McGonagall announced. "Draco will help us get in contact with Lord Voldemort. We must begin to prepare."


	101. Preparations

"Professor, where are we going?" A small first year girl was looking up at me, her eyes wide and her face pale in contrast to her dark braids.

"I can't tell you," I apologized, "but I promise you'll be safe there."

"B-but I'm scared. I want my brother." Her bottom lip quivered.

"Honey, I promise we'll find him as soon as we get there, okay?" She nodded. "Don't worry. Everything will be alright." She brightened slightly, so I figured she believed me.

I just wished I could believe myself as easily. McGonagall, Remus, Molly and I were transferring the younger students from Hogwarts to Grimmauld Place. It was the only location big enough and safe enough to hold all of them on such short notice. It was a slow process; one by one the children had to be flooed over, and a staff member had to accompany them to ensure that they arrived safely. After over an hour, only half of the 1st through 6th years had made it to Grimmauld Place.

Every fireplace in the house was opened temporarily to the Floo Network, but with only four of us to complete the job it didn't make much of a difference. The rest of the Order was busy preparing the castle for the arrival of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

An hour and a half later, I accompanied the last Hufflepuff 6th year out of the castle, and collapsed into a chair in McGonagall's office. I was covered in soot, and my head was spinning, visions of fireplaces dancing in front of my blurred vision. No one was meant to floo that often in one day. I sat forward with my head on my knees, willing my head to stop its incessant pounding. In a few minutes' time the pain dulled, and I made my way to the Great Hall to meet with the rest of the Order, as planned.

"Hey," Sirius greeted me solemnly. I waved vaguely in response, fighting to stop seeing him in double. "Are you okay?"

"A little dizzy," I admitted.

"Sit down for a minute."

"No, it's fine." I walked over to the center of the empty Great Hall to join the group forming. Sirius followed, helping me walk in a straight line. Remus walked in once we'd gotten to the meeting place, and I noticed he was also having a bit of trouble.

Once everyone was assembled, Moody called us all to attention.

"All of the first through 6th years have been successfully moved out of the castle, and to the designated safe zone," he announced. "The 7th year DA members are in the Room of Requirement. But what are we going to do with the rest of them?" I heard his subliminal question: what was to be done with the Slytherins? They couldn't be trusted at Order Headquarters, but neither could we leave them where they could participate in the battle.

"The dungeons?" Mundungus suggested.

"Why? So one Death Eater can easily run down there and break them out?"

"They're still students," McGonagall interjected. "They must be treated humanely and fairly."

"What about their common rooms?" Remus suggested. "No one who doesn't know the password can get in, and the portraits can be instructed by Minerva not to be let in or out, anyway."

"Good idea, Remus," Moody said approvingly. "Remus, Minerva, and Filius, could you go make certain that every 7th year student excluding the DA members is in their common room?" They all nodded and left.

"Now, we've sealed off every entrance but the main one. This way we'll be able to tell exactly how many opponents we have without anyone sneaking up on us."

"Unless of course they break the spell," Tonks pointed out.

"Also," Moody continued on, ignoring her, "most importantly, we have made contact with Lucius Malfoy and, in turn, with Voldemort."

"How do we know he'll show?" I asked.

"We made it a challenge. The Dark Lord doesn't back down from a challenge."

"I hope your 'challenge' didn't make him too angry," I returned. Moody shrugged.

"Moving on. We've assembled a plan that should, if it works correctly, eliminate a number of Voldemort's men immediately."

"What is this plan?"

"We would position a few people right behind the doors, to attack them from behind, after they've entered the castle."

"Isn't that a little unfair?"

"Do you think Voldemort's going to play fair, Kara? This is war. Everything's fair."

"Fine. But I won't do it."

"I hadn't planned on it. Now shut your mouth and let me finish the plan." I mock saluted and he threw me a glare. "It's important to remember not to kill them all, and to do it furtively. We don't want you getting killed. Which brings me to an important point: duel to kill, when you can. We can't afford to take the time tying up the survivors and risk them escaping. Understand? I know it won't be easy, and I know you have to mean it for the curse to work, and if you can't, then knock them out and bind them. But we don't want to take the chance of this happening again."

"Protect yourselves. Don't try to curse them if they've got one heading towards you. Shield yourselves."

"I've arranged for the Auror department to be alerted before they even breach the castle. As soon as we see a hint of their shadows, I'll send the owl. And Remus will be flooing over there, just in case. Do not cross Voldemort. Leave him to Harry. Don't try to weaken him, or kill him to spare Harry the experience." He glanced at Molly. "You all know what the prophecy says: this is Harry's job."

"Be smart. I know we've all got something personal against at least a few of these Death Eaters. Don't try to settle any score. Just beat them as quickly as possible. Don't use either of the other two Unforgivable Curses. We want to avoid sinking to their level as much as possible."

Remus, McGonagall, and Flitwick returned.

"Try to keep them contained on the first floor of the castle. This way, not only can they not reach the common rooms, but we won't have them running all over the place. We all know what happens then." There was a solemn pause.

"Now all that's left is to wait."


	102. Imperius

The afternoon faded away slowly. I watched from my position in the Entrance Hall as the horizon faded from daylight into dusk. The smoky sunset was beautiful; the sky was oblivious to the fact that a battle to decide the fate of the entire world, wizarding and Muggle, would take place at any moment. Hopefully.

It had been three hours since we'd assumed our posts, and so far the most eventful thing to happen was Moody and Mundungus fighting over whether Mundungus could use the bathroom.

"They could come at any time!" Moody yelled.

"I don't care; I need to go!"

"You don't care? _You don't care! _Well maybe you should! This is the most serious event to occur in hundreds of years, and you want to take a loo break!"

"Nothing's occurring, Alastor! Not now, at least. It's better I go now than in my trousers later while fighting, isn't it?" Mundungus was allowed to go.

But that had been over an hour ago, and since then the castle was eerily silent. Everyone was occupied by their own thoughts: wondering whether Voldemort would show, and if they would live out the night.

Moody wouldn't let anyone sit down, not wanting to risk being caught off guard. I leaned against the wall next to Sirius, resting my head on his shoulder. He put an arm around me, and the silence became more comfortable.

"I hope this doesn't backfire," Sirius commented with a hint of tension in his voice.

"Me too," I replied. "So much is resting on this. _Everything_ is resting on this."

"Promise you'll be safe," he demanded.

"Sirius, you know I can't."

"I wish you would."

"Don't ask me to promise anything you wouldn't." He sighed. "I promise I won't _try_ to be unsafe."

"Me too."

"We've gotten through this kind of stuff before," I pointed out.

"That was a long time ago. And I didn't exactly get out of it."

"Everyone knows where your loyalties lie."

"I thought they did back then, too."

"I always knew." He looked at me and half-smiled.

"That's what counts, I guess." I nodded, continuing to concentrate on the still Hogwarts grounds. Sirius and I fell into silence once more, and the Entrance Hall became a mirror of the grounds: dark and hushed, filled with unleashed tension.

A few moments passed before I saw the movement. A sea of black was making its way towards the castle via the road from Hogsmeade. They had all appeared suddenly but silently, without the usual popping noise made by Apparition. The long, swift strides of the army of Death Eaters would help them to arrive quickly; we had maybe three or four minutes before the fighting would begin.

I turned to Sirius, who was watching their progress with impatience. His grip on his wand tightened; he was eager to get revenge. His eyes were on fire; I could tell his mind was churning through all of the things the Death Eaters had deprived him of.

I touched his shoulder lightly, willing him to relax and remain lucid. If he didn't calm down he'd lose his ability to think rationally, and put himself in more danger than he could handle.

"I love you," I whispered. His eyes glanced away from the procession long enough to say it back. "Be careful. Don't try to do too much; just get out of this alive. Okay?" He didn't respond right away.

"Be safe," he said, more question than command. I nodded. The Death Eaters were almost at the castle doors when he kissed me once, fiercely, and moved away to engage in the impending fight.

A quick spell allowed the Death Eaters to open the castle doors, hopefully causing them to think we hadn't taken precautions to secure the school. This notion was wiped away before it could completely formulate, as Moody and Kingsley silently killed every Death Eater they could aim their wands at.

The dropping of bodies was the first noise of the infant battle; it only took seconds before that sound was drowned out by the din of shouting and spells deflecting off the walls.

The Death Eaters were greater in number than you had imagined, and they outnumbered us almost two to one. I hoped Remus had already alerted the Auror Department and was on his way back with reinforcements.

As more Death Eaters began to push through the castle doors, I began to fight, quickly losing sight of Sirius. I stunned my first victim and sent him flying down to one of the dungeons, where he would wake up imprisoned by strong charms performed by Professor Flitwick.

Remus and a group of about eight Aurors raced down the stairs and into the battle. There were fewer of them than you had hoped, but eight extra wands were better than none. Their faces were creased with a worry that I sensed was caused by something other than the battle. I cautiously made my way over to Remus, who had just stupefied a Death Eater attempting to Avada Kedavra Ginny.

"What's wrong?" I shouted over the growing noise.

"The dementors..." he trailed off, as if he didn't know what to say."They set all the prisoners free about an hour ago, and Kissed all the guards."

"Oh no." He nodded.

"That's why the Auror Department could only spare us eight of their people. The rest are all out trying to capture the dementors before they get their mouths on anyone else."

"Petrificus totalus!" I incanted at the Death Eater who had tried to attack Remus from behind.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. So _all _of the prisoners escaped?"

"Yeah," he confirmed.

"That's why there are more of them here than I expected." He nodded while stupefying another Death Eater. "Have you noticed that they all have their hoods up? I haven't been able to tell who any one of them is. Usually they don't really care who sees them once we're all fighting in the open."

"I think this time-stupefy!- they want to be sure they can feign innocence in case they lose."

"Yeah. But I hate not knowing who's already been stunned or killed and who's still out there." The two of us didn't have any more time to exchange words as we were swept in different directions.

I was in a heated battle with yet another anonymous Death Eate, neither one of us able to incapacitate the other.

"Stupefy!" I shouted. He shielded himself easily.

"Petrificus totalus!" I barely managed to dodge that one.

"Stupefy!" I tried again, although I knew it wouldn't work. Whoever this was, I'd need to be a little unorthodox to beat him. I dodged a Cruciatus Curse and tried something new: the Conjunctivitis Curse. Although I couldn't see his face because of his mask, the Death Eater immediately instinctively reached up to clear his eyes, giving me the opportunity to stun him and send him to the dungeon.

Taking a second to catch my breath, I realized that I had wandered outside the castle, along with about half the battle. It was becoming more widespread, leaking onto the Quidditch Pitch. Most of the Order members outside were still in school, with the exception of a few, and I could tell the students were beginning to have a hard time keeping up with the experienced servants of Voldemort. I ran onto the pitch to help them.

Ginny was holding her own, releasing her nasty Bat Bogey Hex on her opponent before putting the Body Bind Curse on him and sending him to the dungeon. She quickly did the same to the Death Eater that Hermione was battling.

A Death Eater aimed a spell at me, but I dodged it. Before hitting him back, I asked, "What's with the masks and hoods? Ashamed of your allegiance?"

"Never," he replied, unconvincingly. His single spoken word allowed me to identify him easily.

"Lucius," I snarled. "Stupefy!" He chuckled as he deflected it effortlessly.

"Come on, Kara," he sneered, and I could picture him smirking under his hood. "Is that all you've got? And you're supposed to be talented." The silent spell I'd directed toward him as he spoke was deflected as well. "Crucio!"

I was instantly bombarded by the sensation of a thousand knives stabbing every inch of my body over and over again. The intense, searing pain made my vision go black and drove me to my knees. I could barely hear Lucius' cackles over my own screams, which I tried and failed to hold in. After what felt like an eternity, the pain began to dull slightly, and I braced myself to be hit with the curse again.

"Cru-"

"Don't." The voice, which I couldn't place because my head was spinning so violently, was firm and full of hatred. Lucius' cruel laughter cut into the night.

"Boy, you had better step aside and think twice about telling me what to do."

"I did. And this was my decision."

"Cowardly blood traitor. You weren't strong enough to kill Dumbledore, and you aren't strong enough to stand up to me now."

"I may be a blood traitor, _but I am not a coward._" The venom in Draco's voice was unlike anything I'd ever heard. Loathing dripped from every word. "Not killing Dumbledore wasn't weakness. It was the first time I dared to go against your wishes, even though I've wanted to my whole life. I don't want to be like you; I never did. You're a merciless murderer with no remorse for all of the lives you've ruined, and I refuse to sink to your level." Lucius sighed.

"I suppose it's a good thing that you're proud of your treachery. Because you're going to die for it. Crucio!" Draco dropped to the ground not far from me, writhing silently from the pain. I anxiously searched for my wand; finding it would be my only chance at helping him. "Crucio!" Lucius repeated as the curse began to wear off. "I'm going to continue with this until you either die or scream," he informed Draco calmly. "It's your choice. Crucio!" Trying not to look at Draco, I hunted for my wand. Instead, I found myself staring at a pair of feet.

"Looking for this?" A Death Eater twirled my wand in his fingers. I quickly reached out and knocked it from his hand, catching it before it could hit the ground.

"I was. Stupefy!" He fell motionless on the ground. Checking to make sure no one was approaching, I leaned over and removed his mask. The slack face of Nott greeted me. As I performed the spell to send him to the dungeon, Draco's mind-numbing scream pierced the night.

"You're not so confident in your allegiance now, are you?" Lucius asked Draco haughtily, watching with sick pleasure as his son panted on the ground. "You're pitiful, screaming on the ground like a weakling. I should be glad such a feeble blood traitor has deserted our noble organization in favor of a bunch of cowards like himself." Draco didn't waste energy responding; instead he used his strength to retrieve his wand from the ground and heave himself to his feet.

"I hate you," he stated. "And I won't succumb so easily to the torture you've used a million times before to make me do your bidding."

"Really? Crucio!" Draco evaded it and pointed his father and him stood staring at each other, wands poised to attack.

"Avada Ke-" Lucius started, but was interrupted by a high-pitched voice.

"Lucius! Not our son, Lucius!" I hadn't seen Narcissa approach, and neither had the Malfoy men, who still stood motionless, daring the other to make the first move.

"He's a dirty blood traitor, Narcissa. He chose this. Avada-"

"No! He's our son! Please don't kill him!" Lucius pivoted and backhanded her, causing her to fall helplessly to the ground.

"Avada Kedavra." The words came calmly from Draco's mouth, without a hint of regret, and in a flash of green light Lucius lay dead next to his unconscious wife.

Draco stared at the pair of them for a fleeting moment before turning sharply and walking back into the heat of the battle. I saw a tear roll down his cheek, glistening in the moonlight, but he wiped it away and continued on.

With one more look back at the Malfoys, I followed Draco into the middle of the pitch and reengaged myself in the battle.

"Stupefy!" I quickly stunned a Death Eater that was overwhelming Molly, Ginny's pleas alerted me that something was horribly wrong.

"Hermione! Stop it! What are you _doing?_ I'm on your side!" Ginny screamed helplessly as Hermione kicked her to the ground.

"Crucio!" Hermione shouted. She looked on without emotion as her best friend collapsed in agonized spasms. My eyes were wide in shock; Hermione would never hurt Ginny. At least, not if she had any say in it...

I frantically searched the Pitch for someone who could have Hermione under the Imperius Curse. I saw a Death Eater standing alone on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, his eyes avidly taking in the scene between Hermione and Ginny. I raced through the various battles occurring until I was close enough to aim a spell at him.

"Stupefy!" He fell down instantly.

"Oh Ginny, I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered weakly. "Avada Kedavra." Without any emotion, she turned her wand on herself and whispered the deadly spell for the second time.

The Death Eater I'd allegedly stunned was leaning up on one elbow, wand pointed once more at the two girls, who now lay lifeless on the grass.


	103. Green

I stared, horrified, at the two unmoving forms, waiting for them to get up and announce that they were alright. I knew it could never happen, and took a second to mourn the brilliant young witches before kicking the Death Eater in the face and knocking him out. I placed extra-tight bonds on his arms and legs, ensuring that he'd be in pain when he awoke. I then forced myself to take my mind off of Hermione and Ginny's deaths; there would be time for sorrow later.

The number of people standing was diminishing quickly. Bodies were scattered all throughout the Pitch; I couldn't be sure if they were dead or stunned. It was eerily quiet; everyone had taken to using silent spells to take advantage of the element of surprise.

"O'Connell." A low growl came from behind me. I whipped around, thankful the Death Eaters seemed more in the mood to chat than to kill me on the spot.

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember your voice. And your face doesn't ring a bell; although I think I've seen that mask around before." The Death Eater didn't find me amusing.

"You always were a pain in the ass, O'Connell, even in school. How could you not remember me? You did throw me into Azkaban."

"Yeah? Good for me. But you're all the same after awhile, I'm afraid. Wait...Jugson?" He nodded in confirmation.

"Very good. And now that you know my name, I'm going to kill you for what I went through in that place."

"School?" I asked stupidly, stalling.

"No, you stupid Mudblood. Azkaban." He shuddered. "I nearly went mad."

"I think that happened the day you decided to become a Death Eater," you replied sarcastically. "Stupefy!" He dodged it.

"Avada Kedavra!" I ducked quickly and sent the first spell that came to mind at his feet.

"Relashio!" Jugson's shoes caught fire from the sparks emitted from my wand. While he said the counter-curse I stunned him. As I did that I felt something slither past me. Instinctively I jumped away, and turned to look in time to see a huge green snake glide past me.

"Nagini," I whispered in recognition. As it slithered away, its scales caught the moonlight and gleamed, somehow making the snake look more threatening.  
My eyes traveled up to the castle. The Great Hall was illuminated in warm yellow light, and I could see the shadows of battling figures running, ducking, and falling to the ground. Harry was one of those figures. And he didn't have a shot at Voldemort until the snake was dead.

The snake was making its way up to the school, its glittering scales making it easy to see. I rushed after it, making it to the far side of the pitch before it suddenly stopped slithering and turned around, looking me right in the eye. Keeping eye contact, I steadily raised my wand and pointed it between its eyes. I thought about how much was riding on the snake's death, and how many lives were at stake if I didn't kill it. Just as I opened my mouth to utter the Avada Kedavra, the snake reared up and snapped its fangs, throwing itself towards my neck.

"Avada Kedavra!" I shouted with my eyes closed, too scared to look at the snake but unable to see if my spell had hit or missed. I heard a dull thud and opened my eyes to see the snake lying motionless on the ground, its forked tongue hanging out the side of its mouth.

Letting out a breath of relief, I turned my attentions back to the dwindling battle taking place on the pitch. Less than ten people were still standing, and I scanned them to see if there was anyone I could help. When my gaze hit the edge of the Forbidden Forest I saw two figures, both of them familiar, standing with wands pointed. Neville Longbottom's short, solid figure stood at attention across from Bellatrix Lestrange's tall, skeletal frame. Knowing I'd never reach Neville in time to help him, all I could do was watch as the two fought in hushed voices, no doubt about Bellatrix's torture of Neville's parents. The conversation looked so calm that I was shocked when two flashes of green light erupted into the night, and both Neville and Bellatrix fell.

Astonished that Neville got the best of Bellatrix, it took me a few seconds to feel any sadness. Having known Alice and Frank, I was glad that the woman who had ruined their lives and their minds was dead, but to take their son with her was too much irony for me to handle. I wiped away my tears and turned away from the bodies, running up to the school without looking back. There was too much death to take on the pitch and I had to get away before it got the best of me.

Since I first set eyes on Hogwarts, its immense front doors had always stayed closed, forcing anyone coming in or going out to push with all their might to move them. But tonight the doors stood open, leaving the school looking as vulnerable as the people inside of it. I slipped into the Entrance Hall and were greeted by the sight of scattered bodies, mostly those of the Death Eaters we'd surprised hours ago. Determinedly not looking down, I started towards the Great Hall, where I was sure the whole battle had gravitated. About halfway there my way was blocked by two people who'd had a confrontation coming for a long time. Remus' face held a level of intensity I'd never seen before as he shot spells at a Death Eater whose hood had fallen down, revealing a tight chestnut bun.

"Avada Kedavra!" He shouted. Jennifer dodged the spell and it hit a stone gargoyle, which shattered onto the floor.

"You'll never kill me," she taunted him, throwing her own killing curse at him, which he barely managed to avoid. They hadn't noticed me yet; it would be so simple for me to kill her with her back turned. But as I raised my wand, Remus looked right at me and shook his head slightly. I obligingly lowered my wand; this battle was his.

"Watch me. Avada Kedavra!" Jennifer, distracted by his words, wasn't prepared to dodge or deflect the spell. She tried to move out of the way too late, and it caught her on her right shoulder. She crumpled to the floor face down. Remus walked over to her and stood over her dead body, staring at her with hatred. Then, calmly, he conjured up a pair of scissors and snipped off her bun. "I win. Finally." He threw Jennifer's hair onto the ground roughly and strode towards the Great Hall.


	104. The End for Someone

Staring disbelievingly at Jennifer's dead body, I followed Remus into the epicenter of the battle. I never could have prepared myself for what was happening.

Dementors were swooping in from the broken windows of the Great Hall. The entire battle had paused in fear; everyone knew Dementors did not distinguish friend from enemy. The cloaked forms were quickly filling the room; there were more of them than I'd dreamed existed. They floated into the middle of the room, leaving everyone else to scatter to the edges of the Hall. Some desperate people jumped through the jagged glass into the castle's gardens. Trying not to panic, I looked around the room for a solution. I picked out Harry and Ron standing next to each other, both panting from the long fight. Sirius stood not too far away; I could tell that his breathing was ragged. Dementors had been his greatest fear ever since Azkaban. I couldn't stay cool for much longer; no solutions were coming to me. Although I hated admitting it to myself, the Dementors' presence would probably thrust victory into the hands of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. If they could prevent themselves from being Kissed with the rest of us.

The Dementors were all assembled; no more of them were gliding through the windows. Slowly, they began to diverge, moving towards the helpless masses cowering against the walls. I had to think of something; it couldn't end like this. Not after everything that happened. A Death Eater shrieked; he dropped his wand as he became the first victim of the worse-than-fatal Kiss. After it was over, he looked blankly at me with the look of a newborn, who knows nothing and has seen nothing. It would have been merciful to kill him, but I couldn't bring yourself to do it. A Dementor was advancing on me. I shivered and fought to keep a happy memory in my thoughts. I remembered the day Sirius came back to me, and a flame of happiness broke through the cold.

"Expecto Patronum!" I yelled. The Dementor was repelled. I took a deep breath as warmth flooded me, only to be replaced once more with iciness as a Dementor approached from behind. "Expecto Patronum!" The spell rang throughout the Hall constantly. But there were too many of them to hold them off forever. Expecto Patronum was a difficult spell and it tired out the average wizard easily. It was just beginning to look hopeless again when a loud whistle suddenly rang out.

"Everyone listen up! Don't stop fighting, just listen at the same time. Please, I mean. Unless you want to stop fighting, but then you'll probably get Kissed so you really don't want to do that....unless, like I said, you do....want...to do that." Fred stopped babbling after George elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Anyway, we've got a plan. If you can all direct the dementors towards the far left corner of the room, we've got something that will keep them there."

"How the hell are we supposed to _direct_ the dementors?" Sirius asked. "They're not exactly being cooperative."

"Just....when you use your patronus, make sure it goes in the direction of the far left corner of the room," Fred said. "Watch: Expecto Patronum!" He pointed his wand at a dementor, and his patronus, a weasel, propelled the dementor back towards the corner. "See? It's simple." I shrugged and started dementor-herding.

It was tough; every time you got a dementor over there, it seemed another one came out towards the center of the room. We tightened the perimeter until Fred and George said it was small enough for their plan to work. Then they broke out a variety of Weasley's joke products and began concocting a makeshift cage.

"You really think this is going to work?" Moody asked the pair as they finished up.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

"I sure hope you're right," Moody muttered. The dementors tried to breach the cage, but each time they got too close to the bars they emitted a silvery smoke, which drove the dementors back into the corner. "If we live through this, you have to tell me how you did that," Moody said to the twins.

"Sure thing!"

Now that the dementor problem was miraculously solved, the fighting broke out again between the Order and the Death Eaters. So far in to the battle, the Death eaters' superior numbers were really starting to matter. The Order members standing were small in number and looking as though they might drop from exhaustion at any second. Only adrenaline was keeping them going. The Death Eaters were getting tired, too, and sloppy. It seemed like it was getting easier to stun them. But there were too many. Always too many to stun, too many standing between the Order and victory. _But Voldemort hasn't shown up yet._ I knew it was ultimately him who would decide the victor.

I heard a commotion in the corridor, and a large group of Aurors burst through the Great Hall's doors. They were all shaken from what they had seen at Azkaban, but their numbers added to the Order's made you a greater force then the Death Eaters. Kingsley fought his way over to me, helping you to stun a tricky Death Eater.

"How the hell did you trap those dementors?"

"You'll have to ask Fred and George. It was all them." His eyes widened a little.

"No kidding? Those two troublemakers? Good for them. Stupefy!"

"Crabbe! Come on, you don't want to do this! We were friends!" Malfoy's wand was in Crabbe's hand.

"My father says that anyone who supports Potter is my enemy. You changed sides. We're not friends any longer." He raised his wand.

"You never could think for yourself, Crabbe. I always had to tell you what to do, tell you what was going on. It's pathetic, really. Now I'm your enemy just because your daddy says I am?" Crabbe shrugged.

"Yeah."

"Stupefy!" I yelled, and Crabbe's bulky form crumpled to the floor beside Malfoy.

"Thanks," he said quietly.

"You're welcome." I turned away and returned to fighting.

With the Aurors' help we stunned most of the remaining Death Eaters within minutes. The fact that so few were still standing sickened me; war's consequences were permanent and painful.

The doors of the Great Hall creaked open, and everyone looked over to see who it was, even though we all knew it could only be one person. Peter Pettigrew scuttled in, his heavy boots crunching the bits of glass on the floor. Sirius threw a Killing Curse at him but Peter deflected it with his wand, which was perched in his silver hand. Then Voldemort stepped out from the shadows of the door, and the room grew hushed.

"Don't stop the fighting on my account," Voldemort said mockingly. "Avada Kedavra!" a female Auror dropped dead instantly. "Now, where is Harry?"

"Here." Harry's look was determined, but determination wouldn't be enough to get him out of this one.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted. Harry deflected it. I was so caught up in watching that a Stunning Spell hit me and I hit the ground, unconscious.

My head was pounding. There were small trickles of blood on my face from the glass. A flash of green light flickered behind my eyes. The thud of a body forced me to open my eyes, afraid of who it would be.

Alastor Moody lay dead at Harry's feet, his eyes wide open and his arms stretched out.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort's next try went over Harry's head; clearly both of them were startled at Moody's sacrifice.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry and Voldemort shouted the spell at the same time, and instead of green light their wants emitted gold. A band of it joined their wands together, vibrating them both and making it difficult for them to hold on. I watched them, still lying on the ground, as they fought to gain control. The seconds ticked away like hours, until finally both wands flew out of their owners' hands and fell to the floor at the feet of Peter Pettigrew.

I gasped involuntarily, as did every other conscious person in the room. I'd realized that Peter, Remus, Harry, and Voldemort were the only ones still standing. Harry and Voldemort measured the distance to the wands. Harry was younger; he would probably win. Probably. But he could get there and Wormtail could kill him before he could pick his wand up.

"Give me my wand, Wormtail," Voldemort ordered. Peter didn't move. "Give me my wand, Wormtail!" he repeated, more sharply. Peter stood completely still. _"Now, Wormtail!"_

"Peter," It was Remus' calm, reasoning voice that cut in. "You owe Harry your life. Remember that. You owe him your life. Remember, in the shack? You owe him, Peter."

"My wand, Wormtail!"

"You owe him."

"I am your master. Give it to me!" Harry said nothing, just stood there looking at Peter, not daring to hope that such a rat would remember a debt, but wishing he would.

"Peter." Remus' voice was almost a whisper. "Peter." Slowly, painfully slowly, Peter bent down and picked up both wands. He looked to Voldemort, then to Harry, then to Voldemort again, like a dog trying to decide which person had a better bone for him.

"Wormtail, we will rule the world!"

"Peter, you can make things right." Peter looked between Harry and Voldemort once more, then took a step.

And then another, and another.

"Wormtail! No! Why do you betray your master? These people won't have mercy on you, Wormtail, you killed their friends. The only way to survive is to give me those wands! No!" Voldemort screamed as Peter thrust the wands into Harry's hands.

"D-debt repaid," he stuttered. Harry nodded, staring at the wands before raising his own.

"You can't kill me, Harry. Even if you succeed in killing this part of me, I will return. I can never truly be dead."

"Because of your Horcruxes, you mean?" Harry questioned. Voldemort paled. "Those shouldn't be a problem anymore. Let's see....the snake, the locket, the cup, the glasses, the diary, and the ring. That's all of them, right?" Voldemort didn't say anything. He ran. His cowardice made Harry sneer as he yelled, "Avada Kedavra!" The green light hit Voldemort in the back.

Exaltation burst through me and I tried to get up, but a sharp pain wracked my head and I passed out.


	105. A Broken Heart

Everything was blindingly white. My eyes were squinting upwards, attempting to discern where I was. My head felt like it split open every time I breathed, so I didn't dare crane around to get a better look at my surroundings. I clung to a desperate belief that death couldn't possibly include this much pain, and therefore believed I was still alive. The cracks on the ceiling blurred above me, and I closed my eyes again, trying to remember the details of the battle. Scenes of that night flashed through your mind: Ginny and Hermione dying, Remus killing Jennifer, Peter surrendering the wands to Harry. As tears burned under my eyelids, I realized I couldn't remember what happened to Sirius. Determined to find out, I began to raise myself up from my horizontal position, only to be pushed back down immediately.

"Oh, no you don't," said an unfamiliar voice. I opened your eyes and found myself staring up at an elderly Healer, which was immediately apparent because of her bright purple robes. Her nametag said that her name was Jean. She was looking at me both kindly and sternly. "You, Ms. O'Connell, need to stay lying down. You were seriously injured last week, and you need your rest."

"Last week? I've been in here for a week? I was only Stunned!"

"You fell onto a large pile of glass, Ms. O'Connell. One of the larger shards pierced your heart. You almost didn't make it."

"What happened to everyone else?" I asked anxiously.

"Ms. O'Connell, you really need to focus on getting better," Jean said evasively as she bustled around, taking my blood pressure and fluffing my pillows.

"How can I get better when I don't know if my friends are alright?" I demanded.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not allowed to tell you anything. Try and get back to sleep. I'll be back later with supper." Ignoring my protests, she left the room.

I tried to summon the strength to get up, but even raising my neck a fraction on an inch was too much exertion. I were doomed to remain uninformed until someone came to visit me or I could get my hands on a newspaper. Exhausted from trying to get up and thinking so much, my eyelids eventually drooped and I fell back to sleep.

The first thing I felt was someone holding my hand. Pulling it away instinctively, I heard someone tentatively say my name. In response, I opened my eyes. This time I was face to face with Molly Weasley.

"Kara!" she exclaimed. "You're awake! They told me you'd woken up yesterday, but by the time I got down here you'd fallen asleep again." Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes looked tired and cheerless.

"Who's alive?" I asked. Her smile fell.

"The Healers said you should focus on getting back to health without any distractions-"

"Molly, you have to tell me. Is Sirius okay?" She shook her head. My heart dropped. "He's not? What happened? Is he alive?"

"He's unconscious; tortured by one of the Death Eaters. The Healers reckon he was hit by the Cruciatus Curse multiple times, as well as some other nasty hexes like…well, the details don't really matter. Anyway, they don't know if he'll make it." I couldn't breathe; a million pounds had just been placed on my chest and were crushing me slowly.

"What about the others?" I asked, unable to handle thinking about Sirius. Molly broke down crying. With effort I raised my arm and took her hand.

"Ginny! My poor Ginny! Only sixteen…so young. My baby!" She sobbed loudly for a couple of minutes before continuing. "And Hermione. Both dead on the Quidditch pitch!" I couldn't bear to tell her that I had seen it. "And Neville Longbottom. He killed Bellatrix Lestrange, and she killed him at the same time. Ron- Ron was tortured as well, but thank Merlin he woke up a couple of days ago. And B-Bill, he's-he's dead too! The twins and Charlie are alright, at least, they're alive. But how will they deal with losing Bill and G-Ginny? How will I survive?" She dissolved into hysterical sobs once more.

"I'm so sorry," was all I could manage to get out. We both stayed silent, crying.

"Harry killed He Who Must Not Be Named," Molly announced suddenly a few moments later, a fierce pride evident in her voice. But Alastor died protecting him. I'm sorry; I can't go on. Please get better." She hurried out of the room, weeping.

I wished desperately that I could get up so I could do something; even just pacing the room would feel better than lying still, helpless, depressed. I wondered what had happened to the rest of Hogwarts' teachers, to the students, to Remus. Just as I began to worry that he had somehow died after Harry killed Voldemort, my favorite werewolf walked into my room.

"Kara? Are you awake?"

"Remus? Oh thank Merlin!" He sank into the chair Molly had just vacated, slumped over, his skin a grayish hue. He smiled weakly at me.

"I suppose you want information?" he guessed.

"You suppose correctly."

"Sirius is alive, but he's in bad shape. The Healers-"

"I know. Molly told me," I cut him off, unable to handle hearing it again. The million pounds had returned to rest on top of my chest.

"Sorry. Ginny and Hermione-"his voice cracked.

"I know that, too. I saw it," you told him quietly. He put his head in his hands. "What happened to Peter? After he gave Harry the wand?"

"Sirius killed him," Remus said quietly, not looking up. My mouth was frozen into a surprised 'O'. "I can't say I blame him, or that I was truly surprised. Sirius wanted revenge for so long-and Peter probably deserved it. I just…" he trailed off, and I didn't push him to finish the thought. "Sirius collapsed right after he killed Peter. He hasn't woken up since."

"Do you think he's going to?"

"The Healers said-"

"I know what the Healers think, Remus. What do you think?" He shrugged.

"I want to believe he will, but he looks awful. Of course, they weren't sure you'd wake up, and here we are talking."

"They didn't think I'd wake up?" I repeated. Remus shook his head wordlessly.

"Look," he said, "Just get better. Okay? Sirius won't want to recover if you're not doing the same." You gave a half-smile. "I'll sit with you until you get back to sleep," he offered.

"Could you find me some food instead? I'm starving." He set off to acquire sustenance, leaving me alone to focus every fiber of my being on hoping Sirius would recover.

Remus returned a few moments later with a large tray of pudding and mashed potatoes.

"Yum yum," he said as he placed the tray in front of me.

"Why is there nothing solid?" I asked.

"I dunno, but can I share your potatoes? They look pretty good."

"Remus, what happened to Tonks?"

"She was pretty banged up, but she's alright." He shoved a sporkful of potatoes into his mouth.

A week later, I had graduated into walking across my room twice a day, very slowly. My chest still throbbed painfully when I took a deep breath. Remus visited me every day, Harry had dropped by a few times. And Sirius still hadn't woken up.

It was the two Thursdays after the battle. Jean checked on me for one last time before she went home. I waited fifteen minutes to make sure she didn't come back, and then raised myself out of my bed. I snuck over to the door, checked to see that no one was coming, and left the room. Remus had told me where Sirius was being cared for. Throughout my life I'd spent more time at St. Mungo's than I liked, but it made it easy to find his ward.

Sirius' room was dimly lit by candles emitting soft blue flames. I stood in the doorway for a moment, transfixed at the sight of him lying unmoving, serene, shadows flickering lovingly over his face. Slowly I approached his bed and sat on the edge, taking his hand in mine. I squeezed it gently, and almost fell off the bed when I felt him squeeze back.

"Sirius?" I whispered, leaning in close to his face. The corners of his mouth turned slightly upward, although he did not open his eyes. After a moment, his eyelids pulled apart and he looked up at you.

"Hey," he murmured, his voice hoarse. "Are you okay?"

"My heart was broken," I told him, "but I think it'll be okay now." He pulled me into him and I rested in his arms.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

"Can you stay here tonight?" I nodded. "Because I don't think I'm going to make it until morning."

"Don't say that," I scolded, tears forming in my eyes. "You're awake now; you're going to be okay." He didn't answer. "I love you," I repeated, kissing him softly on the lips.

"And I've been so lucky because of that." I smiled and drifted off to sleep.

"Kara," I heard Sirius calling me, so I forced my eyes open. I was still lying with him, but somehow he was also standing in front of me, looking younger and more vibrant. "Kara," he repeated, "I have to go."

"No," I whispered, beginning to cry freely. He nodded sadly.

"Come with me?" He held out his hand. I took one last look at the Sirius lying beneath me on the hospital bed. Silently, I grabbed his hand and left my body behind. He guided me out of St. Mungo's and up into the sky, towards a tiny black hole hidden between the stars. I could hear whispering within it.

"Ready, love?" Sirius asked. I nodded, and together we entered the unknown.


	106. The Spoof You've All Been Waiting For!

Heyyy guys, it's Krysty! I know that the story is over, but I just found this hilarious spoof of the first twenty or so chapters that our friends made Justine and I (the authors) at a party we threw for ourselves when we got to chapter 25 or some other number that at the time seemed really monumental at the time. This was even funnier when it was acted out, but it's still a good laugh. So, no, this isn't exactly part of the story, but I thought I'd give you guys an early Valentine's Day//late holiday present. So, enjoy!!!

Kerry: Hello and welcome to our show!

Katelyn: Yes, welcome! I'm Katelyn and I'll be your host today along with Kerry.

Kerry: Today we will be discussing the wonderful new epic story that has been taking the neighborhood by storm.

Katelyn: With us today we have our wonderful authors to introduce the story! Please welcome Justine and Krysty!

*APPLAUSE*

Krysty (aka Kerry): Hey everyone!

Kerry: So Justine, would you like to do the honors and introduce the story?

Justine (aka Katelyn): Sure! Welcome to the play by play recount of *mumble mumble mumble*

Katelyn: What was that? The audience couldn't hear you.

Justine: I said enjoy the show about our story *mumble mumble mumble*  
-Justine runs up to Krysty and whispers something in her ear-

Krysty: OH!!! I see. Justine actually hates to say the name of the story for some strange, unknown reason. Anyway, enjoy the reenactment of SIRIUS-LY IN LOVE!!!

*WILD APPLAUSE*

Kara (aka Katelyn): Hello! I'm Kara. I have 78 older brothers and parents who live on different continents. I wonder how they had so many kids if they were in different countries. Anyway, I'm blonde, and pretty, and I have color changing eyes. Oh yeah, and I hate Sirius Black. A lot.

Sirius (aka Kerry): 'Ello ladies. They call me Sirius Black. And I'm sexy… very sexy.

Kara: Damn him and his incessant sexiness. I hate him. But he is quite sexy.  
-buries face in palm-

*A few weeks later*

Kara: I love Sirius *sigh*

Everyone else: Wasn't that a little fast?

Kara: Hey, Sirius beat up one of my numerous brothers! I HATE HIM!

Sirius: But it was an accident. *sexy face* Will you go to the dance with me?

Kara: OH SIRIUS! I forgive you, and I love you!

Sirius: Oh, snap, I forgot I have something better to do than go out with you. Sorry 'bout that!

Kara: OMG I HATE YOU! *sob, sob* Oh, by the way, I play Quidditch and I'm the bomb. And my 2 best friends are Nat, who you can't meet until the 4th chapter, and Lily, who love/hates James Potter. Oh, and I forgot to mention, I can magically become an animal.

Sirius: So can I! And I'm sexy!

Kara: Shut the f- up! I HATE YOU AND YOUR SEXINESS! I shall go to the dance without you and with my bestest friend's boobs and set things on fire and be too sexy for my shirt! So there!

Sirius: *doesn't care*

Kara: Oh yeah, and I'll be hit on by your sexier, yet slightly evil-er brother Reggie.

Sirius: Now that you mention it, I actually do quite like you. Date me?

Kara: No. But I will get hit on again by Regulus! And I suppose I love you again. So I will date you, but I won't go out with you.

Sirius: Good. Now let's play Quidditch!

Kara: Sounds good. Oh yes, and our two best friends will go on their first date. Then 13 days later and their second date they will have passionate Christmas werewolf sex… in the same chapter. That's right, I found out Remie was a werewolf.

Sirius: Hey Kristen. WTF!?! Why are you kissing me? Oh well, I suppose you are sexy enough…

Kara: OH NO! YOU SNOGGED SOMEONE ELSE! I HATE YOU AGAIN!

Sirius: Fine by me, I'm sexy enough to get better than you!

Kara: *sobs again*

Sirius: Because you are not good enough I shall now date the easiest Barbies I can get my hands on! And it shall be wonderful!! *sigh* I love Mia and Marissa and that other one… but most of all, I love Kerry.

Kara: Fine. Be that way. I'll date this Landon kid. He's pretty nice looking. And his name reminds me of a little kid song. *snogs him* Ewwwww… You suck at kissing! Be gone, peasant! Oh, hello Reggie. You're looking sexy, evil and Sirius-ish today!

Regulus (aka Kerry): That's because I am sexy and evil. I shall now rape you.

Kara: RAPE, RAPE!!!!

Sirius: OH NO! I, Sirius, shall save you! *kicks Reggie's ass* Guess what Reg, you're a little fucking teapot! *oh look, we actually did say fuck!*

Kara: Oh Sirius, I love you again!

Sirius: I love me too. I mean, I lurve you too.

Katelyn: and so it went on forever and ever, until everyone died.

THE END


End file.
